


The Magic of Your Song

by misshudson3



Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Attempt at Humor, Boss/Employee Relationship, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Internal Conflict, Internalized Homophobia, Mental Health Issues, Mental Instability, Mutual Pining, My First Fanfic, Panic Attacks, Self-Discovery, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2020-05-02 13:25:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 37
Words: 44,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19199749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misshudson3/pseuds/misshudson3
Summary: A trixya love storyBeatrice aka Trixie owns a multimillion dollar company along with a lost/broken dream. Yekaterina aka Katya owns a creative soul and lost hope. Both have baggage. They both also hold the key to the other's happiness in the form of a shoulder to cry on, motivation, cheesy texts, bad jokes, pints of ice cream and laughs. Will they take the keys or walk away from the locked door?One tells a story of finding who you are and how to move on after you've made mistakes. A story of picking up broken pieces and putting them back together. While letting people in. Finding friends along the way and learning that they won't leave you no matter how bad you think it is.The other tells the story of chasing your dream even if you are given the world and all of it's gold. Rising to your own standards and walking the path you want to pave. While laughing and growing as the person you want.Both stories connect and the new story as a whole is filled with laughs, tears, love, fights, growth, hope and lots of cake pops and granddad jokes.I do not own the rights to any of these lovely characters❤💕❤(side relationships)





	1. Katya

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first ever fanfic, I hope it's not that bad. I based parts of this off of my own struggles and the hardships of overcoming them. I've been working on it for a while but just never got the urge to upload it until now. The story is told from both Trixie's and Katya's point of view. So I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Feel free to comment and give feedback of any kind!

Katya’s POV

    My alarm clock buzzed on the side of my bed. It caused Lucy, my cat, to jump. I, on the other hand was unbothered. It was 6am and I had been up since 2. I stayed up well into the witching hour. My mind was filled with doubt and fear about today. I knew I needed sleep but that did not stop my brain from keeping me with up with nonsense. The nonsense that became a filled cup and spilled over into my dreams. The dreams that caused me to break into a sweat. Dreams of me not being enough for anything. The darkness of the dream started to cloud my thoughts as it had done for those four lonely hours. I shook my head to fight the smoke rising in my mind, clouding my thoughts until they were blurry words and pictures. I couldn't spend anymore time hesitating.

    I was weighing my options about today. Today was the day I started my job at The Mattel Company. I was to be the assistant of the boss herself, Beatrice Elisabeth Grace Mattel. Terrified didn't seem to properly convey the emotions I was feeling. It wasn't that I was afraid of her, Ginger told me she was a southern bell with a big heart along with a laugh and hair to match. I was afraid of somehow messing up the job and therefore messing up with my friendship with Ginger. Ginger got me this job, her name was on the line. She told me how she met Beatrice at the opera and how somehow the problem of Beatrice needing an assistant so happen to come up in the conversation. Ginger told me that Beatrice inherited The Mattel Company from her grandfather, she was 20 when he died and on her 21st birthday she got the news that the multimillion dollar company was hers to run. That is all I knew about her and the company. Music really isn't my thing if I can admit that. I went to school for the arts, but mainly the art that requires those sleepless nights and stress over unfinished pieces. The blank canvas haunting your dreams causing you to stir in the night. I spent my last year of college stressing over the gallery that my work was to be featured in. I had done many galleries but this one was different. I had to come up with more than one piece. Each piece had to tell a story, each piece a puzzle that solved a riddle left by the last. There were many nights I spent uninspired. The white canvas laughed at me for so many nights.

    After a whole semester of wreaking my brain trying to come up with a story, it hit me. A cold night in December, I jumped out of my bed and went to face my enemy, the blank canvas. I knew what story I would tell, mine. The first painting was the start. Blue wide eyes were in the middle of the canvas, swimming in a sea of red. If you looked close enough you could see the American flag in the eyes. A depiction of my hope to live in America. I came to America with such hope, leaving behind the rivers of hatred in Russia. The next piece was of a heart being stitched together and blood covering the frail and gentle hands that was putting the heart back together. The hands were the hands of my mother. She worked hard to reverse damage done to me by the life that I had lived so far. The third piece showed open arms and a back to those open arms. Down the back was a river of black hair that looked like tar. The arms were warm and welcoming, but instead the figure went to the darkness. She faced the darkness only to be consumed by it. This was the dark part of my story, but only the start. When I turned 19, I turned my back on everyone who grew to love me. I walked away to "find myself" when really I was running away from who I was. I dyed my blonde hair black and tried to escape from me. Little did I know that you follow yourself everyone you go. I remember having to take breaks as I painted this painting. I could feel the hot stream of tears flow down my cheeks. As I continued painting, I remember my mother calling me, pleading through the phone for me to come home.  But I ignored the voice inside me. The voice that told me to go back to her. I was in my second year of college at this time. I had so much to fight for but I gave each time. The forth piece of the story was a painting of a woman sitting alone in a bathroom. Her face covered by her black hair, and in her hand was a single needle. In the needle was a black liquid that filled her veins. You could see it creeping up her arm. I was so ashamed of this time in my life. I had fallen so far and it seemed like I was still falling. I dropped out of college because I didn't feel as if I was going anywhere and in my mind going backwards seemed better than just sitting going nowhere. The next painting was covered in shades of dark colors and at the center of the chaos, there was a single light. The dark haired girl walked reached for the light.

    When I turned 23, I started to find my way back. After a near death experience, I gave up the party life. I blacked out after a hard night and was awoken by my mother's warm hands on my face. I opened my eyes and saw those people I worked so hard to get away from, my friends Ginger, Sharron, Alaska, and my mother. They all had dark circles under their eyes as if they had been here for days and neglected sleep because I neglected to take care of myself. Ginger, Sharron, and Alaska never left my side. Ever since I met them in college, they stood by me. That day I dropped out and told them I was done trying to better myself, they never gave up. They had finished college and were living to make a path for themselves. Ginger decided to go into music while Sharron used her major in theatre to write plays that could make your blood grow cold from fear, and Alaska changed the fashion world with her edgy pieces. Even though they all had their lives to take care of, they never forgot about me.  At the end of my bed was the woman who never left ever since I was born, my beautiful mother even though the stress I caused her made her age a little, she was still the meaning of beauty in my eyes. The last painting was the black haired girl now blonde and she had those bright blue eye again with a new glow to them. A new glow for life, a better life for her hands to mold.


	2. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I just..I just don't want to let you down again Ginger. I did that for so long and I feel like I'm still making up for it." I could hear Ginger sniffle and clear her throat. 
> 
> "Now listen here. You did not let me down or anyone else. You are doing this for you and no one else. Your life is yours and you do the best that you can with it. You got back up and got your crap together so that is all I see and I am damn proud to say that I have been with you through it all. Now get ready and make sure to be there on time if not early. You got this Katya."

Katya's POV

As I got finished with my shower, my phone went off. I picked up the phone which had a very dark yet very religious case on it. I find humour in the little things. I looked at my phone and I saw a picture of my favourite redhead with hair as red and hot as her personality. I answered the phone. "Hello my dear," I said into the phone feeling a smile make its way onto my face. Ginger warmed my heart even though I was an annoyance to her sometimes. 

"Don't hello dear me you whore. I hope you are getting ready and that you are continuing to push through with today." I could tell Ginger had a smile on her face even if she tried to sound stern. She had a soft spot for me. "I told Beatrice that you were reliable for this job and I really believe that even if you don't."

"Hmmm reliable is a strong word. Has anyone ever told you that you could pull a muscle from all the reaching that you do?" I giggled at my joke and waited for Ginger to insult my poor dry granddad humour. 

"Katya," she sighed into the phone. And I just knew she was rolling her eyes at my joke. "How are you feeling about this? Be honest honey." Her southern twang filled the last word with a warmness that made me feel safe to speak. 

"I don't know Ging. I didn't sleep much, I went to bed at ten and was up at two. I don't know if this will work out and I don't want to mess up like I did before." I could feel the burn in my throat from holding back tears. I felt my heart beating faster. I leaned against the sink to balance myself and to shake the dizziness off. Ginger waited patiently on the other end of the phone for me to finish. "I just..I just don't want to let you down again Ginger. I did that for so long and I feel like I'm still making up for it." I could hear Ginger sniffle and clear her throat. 

"Now listen here. You did not let me down or anyone else. You are doing this for you and no one else. Your life is yours and you do the best that you can with it. You got back up and got your crap together so that is all I see and I am damn proud to say that I have been with you through it all. Now get ready and make sure to be there on time if not early. You got this Katya." 

"Thank you Ging. I have no idea what I would do without you."

"Die." I laughed at Ginger's joke. She was right. 

"You are 100% right there. I love you Ging." She hummed and hung up. I looked at myself in the mirror and straighten my hair. It was now or never.

 


	3. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three hours of sitting at a table listening to him try to tell me why I should help him with his "career." I nodded and smiled. I was taught if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all. So when he picked up the soup spoon and started to sing a every out of tune version of Bleeding love, I smiled and turned red. Not that you could really tell because of my makeup but I was red with embarrassment. When he "hit" the final note he smiled and winked at me. And when I say hit, I mean he took a truck and ran right over it in the worse way. I could tell this was a bust and that I would go home and tell my cats Snow, Mittens, and Barbie about this.

Trixie's POV

I looked at my ceiling. The baby pastel pink ceiling. The pink that has been me ever since I was able to speak. Pink was me and I was okay with that. I really didn't want to get up today. After another useless date last night that ended up with me being sure that I would die alone because my cats planned my downfall. I found comfort in the thought of at least being important enough for the cats to take time out of their busy routine of bathing, eating, hissing, and sleeping to plan my demise. I had a lot to do today. My new assistant started today. I picked the worse day to get a new assistant. I had my new artist Adore coming in today and all I needed was some new girl tripping because she can't keep up with my long strides. I should have just called in another favor with Bob. He was not only my friend but had been helping me maintain my sanity by keeping things in order. But after almost two years of him running around with me, I insisted on being a big girl and hiring someone to run around for me. I picked up my phone and read through my emails. Owning a guitar company was hard enough but also making stars out of raw talent was a whole another circus all together. I had four meeting today. One with Adore, one with Willam and the last two with Alyssa and Courtney. It would be five if I counted the fact that I had a new girl to show around. So much to do. After looking through useless and pointless emails, I checked my messages. I saw the first was from Kim asking how my date went last night. I rolled my eyes in pain as I thought about the slum ball that called himself a man. Three hours of sitting at a table listening to him try to tell me why I should help him with his "career." I nodded and smiled. I was taught if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all. So when he picked up the soup spoon and started to sing a every out of tune version of _Bleeding love,_ I smiled and turned red. Not that you could really tell because of my makeup but I was red with embarrassment. When he "hit" the final note he smiled and winked at me. And when I say hit, I mean he took a truck and ran right over it in the worse way. I could tell this was a bust and that I would go home and tell my cats Snow, Mittens, and Barbie about this. I was pulled away from my thoughts by a bing on my phone. It was the group that consisted of myself, Kim, Aja, Pearl, Willam and Courtney. Kim was my best friend and special effects makeup artist who did my makeup for Halloween and other events that made it okay to wear a full face of makeup that looked like it was ripped from a comic book. Pearl was my friend from beauty school along with Aja and Kim. Pearl did my makeup for more of a day to day soft glam look, while Aja did my hair. Even though Willam and Courtney were clients, we all became close friends. We were a family when we all left our families looking for who or what we wanted to be in life. It was nice.

Aja: Ayo sis. How was it? Aja had her very own style that showed in everything including her speech.

Willam: Yeah we all are dying to know Trix. We care about your happiness

Courtney: Ha Willam you only care about the $100 you bet that it wouldn't work out.

Willam: Oh hush your mouth. No one asked you Court.

Pearl: Take your time telling us Trixie. We are all here to support you.

Courtney: Well we are. We can't speak for Willam✌

Willam:😒

I read through the messages with a smile on my face. I might be single but at least I had the best people to be single with. I sent a quick reply before getting ready for the day.

Me: He asked me why I wore so much pink, asked why I spoke with an accent that sounded like I never left the outhouse, ruined an amazing song and forgot his wallet.

Willam: Pay up you whores


	4. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I was confused to say the least. I paused, thinking of who it could be.
> 
> Unknown: It is Katya by the way. Your new assistant. I got your number from Ginger.
> 
> My cheeks grew red. How could I have forgotten the reason I was up all night worrying and beating myself up? I thought for a moment.
> 
> Me: Ah hello. Um I prefer Redbull but since coffee was offered. I would like a latte with extra whip, extra sugar, strawberries and two cake pops please.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a short chapter. I don't want to run too many long chapters together. Sorry👍

Trixie's POV

I turned on the hot steamy water as I sang _9 to 5._ I washed my long blonde hair and made sure to shave. As I stepped out of the shower I saw that I had an hour of extra time. I blew dry my hair and sat at my vanity. It was rare that I could do my own makeup. It was a process that took so long. I worked on the perfect makeup for me ever since I was in highschool. The look that made me match my pink life and my last name. I looked like a Barbie when I was given the gift of extra time. I started doing my makeup as Dolly played through my room. Creating the perfect my world, Dolly, me and makeup. I was 21 when I had to take over the company. I was in my third year of beauty school. I had such high hopes for my future and even though the future I had now wasn't bad it wasn't what I planned many years ago. I started my eye-shadow as I got a text from an unknown number.

Unknown: Good morning Miss Beatrice. I was wondering how you liked your coffee.

I was confused to say the least. I paused, thinking of who it could be.

Unknown: It is Katya by the way. Your new assistant. I got your number from Ginger.

My cheeks grew red. How could I have forgotten the reason I was up all night worrying and beating myself up? I thought for a moment.

Me: Ah hello. Um I prefer Redbull but since coffee was offered. I would like a latte with extra whip, extra sugar, strawberries and two cake pops please.

Unknown: That is some way to start the day.

I giggled at her boldness of saying something about my order even though she hadn't even spoken to me in person.

Me: Well I am a busy woman who needs to keep her energy up. I can't fall behind in any way.

Unknown: Understandable. I will make sure to have enough sugar in it to make a small mammal collapse and or juggle chainsaws.

I chuckled at her joke as I set her name in my phone and went back to my makeup. Today would be interesting.


	5. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A classic smokey eye with a nice red lip. My outfit matched my makeup, a black skirt with fishnets, a red blouse that flared at the wrists, a black fur coat and red pumps. It screamed " I COULD BE A RUSSIAN WHORE but only on Tuesdays."

Katya's POV 

As I made my way out of the door, I texted Beatrice. I wanted to make a good first impression and what better way than with coffee and food? No way, that's the correct answer no way. I am glad Ginger thought to give me her number because I wouldn't have guessed her order. As I stood in line, I looked at my makeup. A classic smokey eye with a nice red lip. My outfit matched my makeup, a black skirt with fishnets, a red blouse that flared at the wrists, a black fur coat and red pumps. It screamed " I COULD BE A RUSSIAN WHORE but only on Tuesdays." I ordered my usual black coffee and bagel. Then ordered the sickeningly sweet drink and adorable cake pops. I refused to call it coffee because the whole idea of it being coffee was drowned in the sugar. I made it back to my car without ruining anything, which was rare. I had forty minutes to kill before I had to be at The Mattel building. But I didn't want to chance it so I just took a slow drive while listening to Lana Del Ray and drinking the actual definition of coffee. The drive was peaceful and the cold winter breeze was nice. The stress I felt this morning was slowly melting away. After talking to Ginger this morning I was closer to okay. I stopped at the red light and looked at my phone. It was lit up with messages from a group chat. It was filled with nothing but love. 

Sharon: Good luck today Katya. 

Alaska: Hieeeeeeee you got this. 

Violet: You will do great 

Bianca: Yeah yeah what they said.

Adore: Yeah you will good great. And if it makes you feel any better, I am meeting Miss Mattel for the first time today too. 

This made my heart race. Why would Adore be meeting with Beatrice. She hadn't even met me yet and already she was looking for a another assistant. I thought about turning right round but I thought about what my therapist and I had been talking about. My over thinking. I texted back. 

Me: Wait why Adore? 

She replied at record speed, she had to know I was freaking out. 

Adore: She is the lady I was telling you about. The one who heard me perform at Pride when I went to New York. She is helping me get a good start. 

I felt my lungs release a deep breathe that I was unaware that I was holding. 

Me: Oh okay well good luck babe. You are awesome. I know she will love you. 

Adore: She will love you too❤

I sure hoped so.


	6. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Me: Heh....S.O.S.
> 
> Violet: What's up? 
> 
> Me: I am freaking out and want to leave. I don't belong here Vi. 
> 
> Violet: Katya, we don't belong anywhere until we make a place to belong. You will be okay. Don't back down, give it a chance.

Katya's POV  
When I stepped out of my car, I felt my knees go weak. I had to grab onto the side of my door. I cursed at myself in my head. Why? Just why Yekaterina. After letting the blood flow back to my legs, I grabbed the pink cake pops and the sugar rush in a cup. My breathing became more harsh and my steps became slower the closer I got to the doors. A doorman opened one of the huge glass doors with a smile. The warm air pushed back the cold breeze from outside. The lobby was beautiful and it caused my anxiety to make an appearance. I thought of all the ways I could ruin the lobby alone. I could spill coffee on the pink and white carpet or breaks the mirrors that were hung on the walls. Hell, with my luck I could somehow make the chandelier fall causing it to break into a million pieces, stabbing all bystanders in sight, blinding them for life. I looked at my watch and saw that I had ten minutes left. Great, ten minutes for my thoughts to get the best of me. I wanted to text Ginger but I knew she would be in rehearsals for her new show so there was no point. As I scrolled through my phone, I clicked on Violet's name and shot her a quick text. 

Me: Heh....S.O.S.

Violet: What's up? 

Me: I am freaking out and want to leave. I don't belong here Vi. 

Violet: Katya, we don't belong anywhere until we make a place to belong. You will be okay. Don't back down, give it a chance.

Violet was right. Yeah she seemed like an airhead model but she was pretty sweet and smart, even if she didn't show it to people. I sent her a heart and put my phone in my pocket. I walked around the lobby and a picture in the center caught my eye. Staring back at me was a beautiful blonde brown eyed creature. Her rosey cheeks and her gentle smile made butterflies swell in my stomach. As I continued to look at the photo, I thanked the heavens that I didn't have to meet this perfect woman. But just as I was feeling the butterflies settle down, I read the name underneath. "Beatrice Elisabeth Grace Mattel." I stood there in shock. This is who I am working for. Before I could have a full panic attack I heard a shriek from behind me that sounded oddly familiar. Before I could turn around, arms were pulling me into a hug from behind and blue hair was falling over my shoulder. Immediately I knew who it was.

"Hello to you too Adore." I turned around to give my younger friend a proper hug. She buried her head in my chest. "How did your meeting go with Miss Mattel Adore?"

"Oh great she loved me and my style. She said she thinks I have a real chance at going big with the right help." The smile on Adore's face made me feel good. She had been working so hard for this day and proud was an understatement for what I was feeling as she talked about the meeting. Before I knew it, I was being pulled into another warm hug. "I gotta go but come by Bianca's place tonight. We are all celebrating." I smiled and nodded my head to confirm that I would be there. Before she had a chance to make it to the door, I ran to catch up to her. 

"Hey Adore, how was she?" 

"Oh, Miss Mattel is sweet. She's a real doll."  Adore smiled and walked to her car. Loving Adore was easy to do but I'm a mess so she could easily tell me that I am not what she is looking for. I could leave now and forget all about this, no one would know. I could say she didn't think I was right for the job, I can save myself the disappointment. The disappointment that would come from that beautiful woman saying no to me.

I took a deep breathe and released it. I walked to the door to leave and just as my hand touched the handle, my name was called. 

"Katya, Miss Mattel will see you now dear."

"Shit"


	7. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The young lady is here for her appointment." I looked confused at Dela. Alyssa, Courtney, and Willam wouldn't be here for hours and none of them are ever early. I suppose Dela saw my confusion. "She is here for the new position of being your assistant dear."
> 
> "Shit!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiyaaa!! So Katya and Trixie finally meet in this chapter. I am hope you guys enjoy it. I am also working three other Trixya stories, they will be different but they it won't be that bad(I hope). But enjoy this chapter!!

Trixie's POV

After my meeting with Adore I was ready to go home and crack open a bottle of whiskey and watch Clueless. But I still had so much to do. I looked at my appointment book. Three meetings to go. Just as I was sitting down to relax before the next meeting in two hours, there was a knock on the door and Dela's sweet calming voice.  
"Come in Dela. I can't hear you through the door. You know this." I chuckled as she peeked her head in with a smile on her face. "Now what did you say?" 

"The young lady is here for her appointment." I looked confused at Dela. Alyssa, Courtney, and Willam wouldn't be here for hours and none of them are ever early. I suppose Dela saw my confusion. "She is here for the new position of being your assistant dear." 

"Shit!" I jumped up out of my chair and fixed my hair and dress. I had totally forgotten about her. "Go ahead and send her in Dela." 

"Yes ma'am Miss Mattel and Trixie." Dela looked at me. 

"Oh sorry for my language Dela." She smiled at me and closed the door.  I turned around to fix my makeup. I reapplied my lipstick and eyeliner. I really hope I wasn't wasting my time with this interview. Just as I was finishing my wing, there was a knock at the door. It was softer than Dela's. "Come in," I answered without turning in my chair. When I turned around, I was facing the most beautiful woman ever. Her blue eyes looked into my brown ones and her red lips were curled into a tiny smile. She cleaned her throat.

"Hello Miss Beatrice, my name is Yekaterina." I stood and shook her hand with a look of confusion. 

"Um what? I thought it was Katya." She giggled and I swear I heard the giggle of beauty itself. I felt a bit embarrassed, thinking that maybe I had gotten her name wrong. I wouldn't be surprised, I had forgotten all about her until a few minutes ago. 

"Yes it is. I go by Katya. But I am from Russian and my name is Yekaterina Petrovna Zamolodchikova." She said all of this with that same shy smile. 

"Yeka-what Petro-who Zamo-where?" She full on laughed at this and for the first time I saw her teeth, her perfect white teeth. 

"Katya Zamo is good enough Miss Beatrice." 

"Well it is nice to meet you Katya and please call me Trixie. No one calls me Beatrice." She smiled more and showed her teeth again. I looked down and saw that I was still holding her hand. I pulled away and cleared my throat. "Please have a seat Katya so we can discuss you and the position." Just as she was going to sit down, her eyes got big. 

"Oh, I almost forgot. Here you go Miss Mattel." She sat my coffee and my cake pops on my desk. As soon as I saw the treats, I remembered how hungry I was and how in need I was of a boost. I took a sip of the coffee and closed my eyes in bliss. I heard a slight giggle and opened my eyes to see Katya looking at me with her hand over her mouth. A slow blush warmed my face. 

"Thank you Katya. I really needed this. And also please just call me Trixie. Being called Miss Mattel makes me feel old and I am only 24." I took a bite out of one of the cake pops and had to suppress a moan. Sugar was my weakness and it showed. "So Katya, you said you are from Russian. It must have been hard to leave home." 

"It would have been harder to stay. I moved here with my mother so it was easier." Katya answered the question quickly and carefully it seemed. 

"I can understand that. Leaving Milwaukee was tough for me. Especially at a young age." 

"Did you have family come along with you?" Katya's eyes searched mine. 

"Um no. I moved when I was 18. Fresh out of highschool to attend beauty school." I saw a slight sadness appear in her eyes but she quickly masked it with a smile. "I made friends and started my new life, which wasn't that bad. Then I got that phone call at 3am and caught a plane back home. And well here we are." 

"I am so sorry Trixie." Katya reached and put her hand on mine. It was warm and I didn't want her to move it. 

"Oh no no. It is okay. That was three years ago. I am fine now. Thank you." She handed me a tissue to wipe tears I didn't even know had left my eyes. I cleared my throat once again and took a sip of my coffee. "So Katya tell me about yourself." She pulled her hand slowly back and started to play with a bracelet on her wrist.

"Well I am 25 with an art major. I live with a very beautiful creature named Lucy." I felt a pain in my stomach. Of course she wasn't single, she was breathtakingly gorgeous. And it wouldn't matter if she was single or not anyway, she is here for work only. Katya paused and I looked up at her. She smiled at me softly, "Lucy is my cat." I blushed and smiled awkwardly. She noticed. "Hmm I moved here with my mother when I was 14. Once I got here, we moved a few times until we stayed in Boston. I went to highschool there and then to college for art. My main forms of art to practice are painting, drawing, and even sometimes sculpting." She giggled as she looked at me, "I even did a few student films. I tried whatever caught my eye. I live that way. Whatever seems fun or new, I try it and deal with the aftermath." 

"That has to be a very interesting lifestyle." Her smile faded a little and she looked down at her hands. 

"It has been very interesting and the aftermath of trying new things still weighs on me sometimes but I go with the flow." I found myself feeling a bit of sadness for her and I didn't know why. I decided not to ask her what she meant or to dig deeper. 

"So you are an art major, why work for a music company and not an art museum or become a painter?" She smiled softly at my question. 

"I want to broaden my horizons I guess you could say. My friend Ginger, the one who told you about me, wanted me to at least try. And plus.." She paused once again and looked around. "Not to be rude but maybe you could use an artist's touch in here." She looked at me and giggled. "Pink seems to be your thing and this place is far from your aesthetic. Even if I don't become your assistant, maybe I could decorate this place." 

"I suppose it is a bit off brand. I just never had the heart to really change anything in here. The lobby, sure. I added pink and white with a few flowers and pictures but nothing too drastic. I wanted to uphold my grandfather's memory." I felt my eyes burn with tears that were begging to escape. I could feel my throat heat up with the pain of his memory. The thought of me erasing who he was from this place was my biggest fear. My thick thoughts were cut by Katya's voice. 

"Hey, I can understand that Trixie. But his memory is you, and you uphold it by continuing his work but as Trixie. He left all of this to you because he knew you would make him proud. He knew you'd make the choices that would further not only the company but also make people's dreams come true. People like my friend, Adore." I looked into Katya's eyes causing the feeling of pain to be washed away. Even though I'd only known her for thirty minutes, it was something about her smile that put me at ease. I wanted to believe in her words and what she said. 

"She is something special," I chuckled. "Her sound is something different yet beautiful. I want to help her make it wherever she wants to go." My eyes met with Katya's. And my smile matched hers. I felt good about Katya, I had no idea why but I did. She seemed set on proving something to herself. Even if somehow she doesn't make a good assistant, I can stare at her and wonder what could be. I stood up and walked to the front of my desk and held out my hand. "Welcome to The Mattel Company Miss Zamolodchikova." She stood and shook my hand without a word and before I could say anything, I was pulled into a hug. 

"Thank you, thank you so much." I hugged her back. I felt a tear fall on me from her blue eyes, I hugged her a little tighter. Her body was warm and I was content. I could feel her breathing against me, I wanted this hug to last forever. I just knew I was in trouble and that having her as my assistant would be the thing that killed me.


	8. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh good. Welcome to the Mattel Family! I'm happy to have somewhere other than Alyssa, Farrah, Bob, and Trixie. They are all great but they are always so busy with things. So maybe just maybe we can become friends and I don't know maybe talk or something." Dela started to play with her dress. I grabbed her hands and smiled. 
> 
> "Of course we can be friends. I would like that very much. I believe I am going to like it here." Dela smiled at me and fixed her dress

Katya's POV

As Trixie hugged me back, I felt the worries of the day melt away. Since she was taller than me, her head was in my hair and my head was in her neck. I was happy I had showered and washed my hair this morning. I could smell her. How pleasant it was. The soft smell of flowers and what I could only call hope and promise. This had to be what heaven smelled like. I slowly pulled away from the hug and chuckled awkwardly. 

"Uh I am sorry about that. That was totally not okay. I just was super nervous and didn't want to let Ginger or my other friends down and well it feels good to know I didn't. Thank you so much. When do I start?"

"Well, I have a few more appointments today so I'll be in here. You are welcome to stay and look around. Dela can show you around and give you a rundown of what we do here and whatever she misses I can fill in later. How does that sound?" Trixie put her hand on my arm and smiled. Her touch and smile melted my heart. 

"T-that sounds greats. Thank you." I turned around and grabbed the doorknob. "Oh and I am excited to work with you." And with that I left the room before she could say anything. I walked out and closed the door. After standing against the door for what left like a lifetime, I walked to find the dark haired woman that greeted me when I first got here. 

"Yes. Uh huh. Yes ma'am Miss Belli. I will tell her. Yes, yes. 5pm that is correct." When I came into Dela's sight, she smiled and waved. I sat in a chair and waited for her to hang up the phone. I heard the click of the phone and then the sound of heels approaching me quickly. Before I knew it, she was hugging me. "Oh hi hi hi my name is Dela. It is so nice to meet you. Katya right?" With every word she spoke she shook me back and forth. 

"Yes heh. My name is Katya, it is nice to meet you Dela. Trixie told me to come ask you for a tour." She released me and bounced up and down. 

"Oh goodie. I would love to take you on a tour. Oh dear would you like a cookie? I bake cookies, muffins and cupcakes. Monday is cookie day, Wednesday is muffin day and Friday is cupcake day. Today is Monday so how about a cookie?" She held a tin full of fresh baked cookies up to me. I smiled and took a chocolate chip cookie. The smile on her face reminded me of my mother's. It was warm and loving even though we had never met before. 

"Thank you Dela. They are great and needed after the night I had." The smile on her face dropped into a frown. 

"Oh no. I am sorry to hear that Katya. Is there anyway I can help?" 

"Heh, no no it was just because I was worried about getting the job. But I got it so I'm okay." She pulled into another hug. 

"Oh good. Welcome to the Mattel Family! I'm happy to have somewhere other than Alyssa, Farrah, Bob, and Trixie. They are all great but they are always so busy with things. So maybe just maybe we can become friends and I don't know maybe talk or something." Dela started to play with her dress. I grabbed her hands and smiled. 

"Of course we can be friends. I would like that very much. I believe I am going to like it here." Dela smiled at me and fixed her dress. 

"Well then that is good. Now I will take you to meet everyone who makes up the Mattel family."


	9. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "But welcome to the family and if you ever get tired of the lack of color in the rest of this place, you can come up here to see me. My door is always open." 
> 
> "Thank you Miss Farrah. That is very kind of you."

Katya's POV

As Dela walked me to the stairs, she talked about the history of the company. "The company was started by Trixie's grandfather in 1990, five years before Trixie was born. Once Trixie was born, his attention turned to her. She quickly became his favourite, even though she had an older brother and later a younger sister. Trixie had an interest in music unlike the others. For her seventh birthday, she wanted a guitar. And well when your grandfather makes guitars for a living, the real problem is finding which one you want. When she turned seven, grandpa Mattel, as she calls him, got her a pink guitar trimmed in white. For Halloween that year, she dressed like her idol, Dolly." I giggled at the thought of a tiny Trixie carrying around a guitar bigger than her with a white jumpsuit on, white heels, and big blonde hair. "In 1997, Trixie's grandfather decided to do more than just make guitars for stars, he decided to make the stars to go with the guitars. He helped makes dreams come true and through all of the action, Trixie was right there watching. Unfortunately, four years later, Mr. Mattel became sick and when Trixie turned 20 he died. A year later, she inherited the company. She has tried her best to keep it all going and sometimes she forgets that she is not alone in this." Dela stopped and looked at me. "I am hoping that you could help her a little. When she lost her grandfather four years ago, she became a shell of who she actually was. All of us who work here are friends she knew before he died. And you are going to meet them so you can become their friends too." Before I could say anything remotely close to the word "no" Dela knocked on a door with the name "Farrah M." on it. 

"Come in," a voice from the other side answered. As we walked in the room, the color pink assaulted my eyes along with bright bright lights. "Hi Dela, who is this?" A young woman stood from her desk and walked to us with a smile on her face. 

"Hello I am Yekaterina, but please call me Katya. I am Trixie's new assistant " She shook my hand with a giggle. 

"It is so nice to meet you Katya. My name is Farrah Moan. I am in charge of the advertising and what not. You know adding pops of color and sunshine." Farrah seemed to be just a ball of sunshine herself. "I've known Trixie since I was younger. When she was in her third year of beauty school, I was in my first. We became roommates and well I just kind of stuck to her like glue. She is pretty great. But welcome to the family and if you ever get tired of the lack of color in the rest of this place, you can come up here to see me. My door is always open." 

"Thank you Miss Farrah. That is very kind of you." 

"Oh please just call me Farrah. Forget all that Miss stuff." Farrah grabbed her bag as she spoke. 

"Uh Farrah where are you going?" Dela stepped forward and asked. 

"Oh heh I have a nail appointment. I am just dying for something new." 

"But you just got them done a few days ago," Dela said looking puzzled. 

"Well can't a girl get tired of the same old boring color Dela?" 

"Trixie is going to kill you for leaving this early." 

"Oh no she won't." Farrah walked over to me and put her arms around me." She has this new beautiful girl here to keep her occupied. She will be too busy to even see I am gone. It was great to meet you Katya and bye Dela. Love ya." And with those final words and a wink, Farrah was out the door. 

"That girl is a mess in pink. Well let's see if we will have better luck with Bob." Dela grabbed my arm and lead me to another door. She knocked and a voice welcomed us in. "Caldwell, this is Trixie's new assistant." 

"Well hello my name is Caldwell Tidicue. It is nice to meet the woman that saved me from running around with that pink nightmare." He laughed and held out his hand. 

"Hello, my name is Yekaterina, but please call me Katya. I do not mean to sound rude but I thought your name was Bob?" He laughed more and smiled at me. 

"It is. My name is Caldwell but I prefer Bob. Most of us go by nicknames here. It just makes us feel like more of a family than a stuck up work place. You said your name was Yekaterina, I really hope I said that right. But your name doesn't sound American and neither do you. If I may ask, where are you from?" 

"Russian born and partially raised." 

"That is very interesting. I would love to talk about your life in Russia when we both have free time. Welcome to the company and the family Yekaterina. I am sure it will be great working with you." He then turned to Dela. "I have a meeting with Shea so I have to get going." He grabbed his phone and with a final smile, left. 

"He was very nice. But I didn't get a chance to hear what he does here " 

"Oh dear, he makes the costumes for the performers and most of their outfits. His sense of style is fantastic. I'm sure you and him could talk when he has time. You becoming Trixie's assistant will give him more time to actually get his stuff done." 

"Why is that?" 

"Oh well, he has been her helper since she got the company. She was so afraid of hiring someone that when he offered, she said yes." 

"What changed her fear?"

Dela stopped walking and looked at me."You know, I have no idea Katya." We resumed our walk and Dela told me more about herself. She talked about her pets, all six of them. She also talked about how excited she was when Trixie told her she wanted to hire an assistant. She only stopped talking when we came to a room with a set of double doors. It wasn't like the other offices I had seen within the hours of me being here. It looked more like a studio of some kind. Without knocking, Dela opened the doors, which was odd I thought. But as soon as I walked into the door, I knew why. Music was blaring and in my mind I knew that even if Dela kicked the door, the sound wouldn't have been heard. Dela calmly walked over to a large stereo and turned it off. A woman with large blonde hair and large green eyes to match peeked her head from a back room. 

"Now hold up hold up hold up Miss Dela, what do you think you got going on here on this day?" The woman walked to us with sass and immediately I knew that Dela knew exactly what she was doing. 

"Hello to you to Alyssa. I am taking Trixie's new assistant on a tour and well I didn't want her to sue us for lost of hearing by entering this room and having to stand here in the middle of your personal concert," Dela spoke these words with a sickeningly sweet smile on her face that was the polar opposite of what was on the older blonde's face. Instead of replying to Dela, she turned to me. 

"I am Alyssa Edwards, and this is the studio." She took my hand and shook it firmly. "I teach the back up dancers how to not trip over their feet and also maybe sometimes if we are lucky, how to actually dance." I laughed at her joke but covered my mouth. "Ah so there is sound. Listen we are all family here and so are you now. I may seem scary but I assure you I am the sweetest thing out of Texas." Alyssa smiled at me and held my hands. 

"Thank you Miss Edwards. My name is Yekaterina but please call me Katya. It is a pleasure to meet you." 

"Okay Katya, call me Alyssa. If you ever get tired of old Dela over there, find your way here and we can have a chit chat." Alyssa squeezed my hands and smiled. 

"Well Alyssa if you are done with that sweet southern hospitality, I think Katya should be getting back to Trixie."  Dela looked at her phone and then at us with a smile. 

"It was nice to meet you dear. Please tell Trixie I hope she hasn't forgotten my appointment today. She is so forgetful at times, hopefully with you here that will get better." Alyssa pulled me into a soft quick hug and Dela softly pulled me out of the room. 

"She was very sweet. Well to me anyway haha." I looked at Dela and playfully hit her shoulder with mine. 

"She hates that I touch her music when it gets too loud, or even when it doesn't. We have a silent battle going." It was hard to picture Dela not liking anyone. 

"Battle?" 

"Heh it is more of me bothering her area and her bothering mine. She always takes one of my fluffy pens or pencils and I have to spend the day hunting it down. And I go to her room and hide a few wigs or turn her music off. Nothing too bad, just stuff to keep us on our toes." This place was not like any place I had ever been before. It was lighthearted and full of love. 

"Dela, may I ask a question?" Dela stopped and turned to look me in my eyes. 

"Yes of course Katya. I am here to answer questions and whatever else info you need, you can ask Trixie." She smiled warmly at me, that same smile I had gotten from everyone today. 

"I am not complaining about this or anything, just really curious and I hope I don't come off as rude. But you guys don't seem like a business. It feels more like you guys are lifelong friends who just so happen to do what you love in the same place." 

"Well, Katya that is want we are. We have all known each other since Trixie took over and we all knew her before that. I met Trixie when we were both in college. Her friends and her were at a bar and I just so happen to be working there. Of course they weren't able to drink but that didn't stop them from having fun. I was 21 at the time and she was 19. I really needed a little pick me up. My boyfriend and I had broken up, I was pretty sure I failed my midterm exam, and I had whiskey spilled on me by some drunk. I was crying in the bathroom after I got off, before I went home. It just seemed like life was against me and hated me. Trixie walked into the bathroom and heard me. She saw me sitting on the floor and without a word, handed me a tissue and sat next to me. Turned out my ex boyfriend was her friend's brother and she knew about what happen. She heard about him breaking up with the 21 year old chick who wouldn't put out for him and thought it was messed up that he left me over that. She knew I worked at the bar and who I was, even though she never spoke a word other than 'hello' or 'have a nice day'. And well from that night on, we were friends. Trixie is really big on family but the family you choose, not the one you are born into because sometimes that family sucks. She built a family of her own and we all love her for it." Dela wiped a tear from her cheek and smiled. "Welcome to our little family Katya. I hope you decide to stay." The walk back to Trixie's office was filled with small talk, smiles, and laughs. We stopped in front of Trixie's door. 

"Remember I will be right out here if you need me. You have my number if you don't know where something is. She isn't that bad. Have a good rest of the day Katya " 

"You too, Dela. Thank you so much for today." I hugged her for what seemed like our 100th hug today and knocked on Trixie's door. 

"Come in." I walked into Trixie's office, she had her head down, so that all you could see was the river of blonde hair. 

"Uh are you okay?" 

"Yes yes just didn't get a lot of sleep last night. But how was the tour of the place?" She sat up and smiled. 

"It was nice. I met everyone and even got to know Dela a little more. I think I'm going to like it here." 

"I hope you do. You are the first person to work here that is new to everyone's life. And it seems like you are fitting in so far." I blushed as her smile grew a little. 

"Oh yeah, Alyssa said please remember the appointment you have later today." As soon as I said this, her head fell back to the desk and a groan escaped her. 

"Uggghhh, I forgot about that. She is my last appointment. I forgot after she moved it. Two of my artists were supposed to be after her appointment but since she took a later time, I forgot. I could kill that woman and not hide the body. Just sit it up and be proud of it. Hell might even pay people to see her, at least that way I can still make money off of her and she's quiet." I full on laughed at her wishes. She jumped and then laughed herself. A full shriek that made my heart race. 

"I'm sure it won't be that bad. Maybe it will go quick." 

"Nothing with Alyssa is quick. She is loud and talks for what seems like forever and I just don't have the energy to deal with it today. I want to go into hiding for a while, have you ever felt that way?"

"Yes, more than you know. It is okay to want to get away for a bit." 

"I can't go anywhere. Everyone needs me here to make sure everything is the way it's supposed to be. Anyway do you really think you're gonna like it here?" She smiled a tired smile. 

"I do. I really do." She stood up and walked to the door. 

"I'm going to get a coffee and a few cookies. You can leave when you want. I don't have anything for you to do." I simply nodded. As she turned the doorknob she looked back at me, "I am looking forward to hopefully a new friendship Katya." She closed the door behind her. 

"Me too Trixie, me too."


	10. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Are you following me Miss Zamolodchikova?" I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes. 
> 
> "Well no. It is my job to know where my boss is in a sense. I was just coming to tell you that Alyssa cancelled. Dela tried calling your phone but it was still in your office. She told me you'd be in here. She said you call it the 'break down room'. Clever name. But what kind of tea are you looking for?" Katya walked to stand beside me.

Trixie's POV  
As I walked through the halls to the break room, my mind wandered. It seemed like my world stood still when she walked into the room. I knew she would be beautiful, just by Ginger's words but the woman that walked into my office was something new to me. The way she talked, and not just her accent but just her. Her sense of style was something to fight the pink and yellows of my life. Her sharp blue eyes searched mine for unsaid answers to certain topics. The way she smiled at me made the butterflies in my stomach flood into my throat. How was I going to make this work? Maybe it's just because she is so beautiful. Yeah that's why. It is nothing wrong with seeing a beautiful person and taking the time to notice their beauty. I shook the thoughts of Katya from my head. I walked into the cold room and looked at the coffee pot, a groan made its way out. I turned and opened the tea cabinet. Yes, here at The Mattel Company, we have a tea cabinet. I looked through the different flavors. I had no idea what to get. Dela or Bob would normally get my tea. I looked and reached for one named something called Sage. 

"Unless you want to fight Alzheimer's disease I don't think you want that one." I jumped to turn around and see Katya leaning against the door, grinning at me. 

"Are you following me Miss Zamolodchikova?" I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes. 

"Well no. It is my job to know where my boss is in a sense. I was just coming to tell you that Alyssa cancelled. Dela tried calling your phone but it was still in your office. She told me you'd be in here. She said you call it the 'break down room.' Clever name. But what kind of tea are you looking for?" Katya walked to stand beside me. 

"Is there one that can stop time and keep me from propelling myself off a building?" 

She chuckled, "uh no and well if there is I haven't heard about it. But how about passionflower tea? It is a mixture of hibiscus tea with orange and a few other things. It helps with anxiety and stress. Oh it also improves sleep." She took the kettle and filled it with water and turned it on. "You can have it hot or cold. I prefer hot because well it reminds me I'm alive."

"How do you know so much about tea?" I asked as I sat down and waited. 

"I am big on stuff like that. You know mediation and yoga. Anything to help with stress and anxiety, I most likely have tried it. I even went on a trip to the mountains to try and find peace." 

"Well did you find it? Peace?" 

"While I was gone, sure. But once you get back to the place you were before, that peace fades. We can't go searching for peace away from home because it disappears as soon as we are back. The best thing to do is make your own peace at home. Take away all stressful things and replace them with good things that make you happy. And if you can't get rid of the stressful things, then just find ways to fight it." Katya once again searched my eyes for an answer to her question. "Are you looking for peace Miss Mattel?" Just as I was going to open my mouth, the kettle whistled. Katya stood up and walked to make my tea. She sat a cup in front of me and smiled. 

"Okay so what is this?" 

"It is passionflower tea with almond milk served with a pinch of lemon. I made sure it stayed hot because I figured all the flavors would go together a little better." Katya smiled as she waited for me to take a sip. I slowly took a sip and immediately knew I wanted her to make me tea everyday. 

"Katya this is amazing. I love it." She blushed and looked down at her feet. 

"Heh thanks. I love making tea and trying new flavors." 

"Don't just stand there come sit down with me. Since I am free until tomorrow, let's talk. How do you honestly like it here?" 

"I think it is really nice. But I have a question." I nodded at her as I took another sip. "Why is family such a big deal here? And I don't want to sound rude when asking that. It is just everyone has welcomed me to the Mattel family. I was just wondering." I sat my cup down and looked at her. 

"Well Katya, have you ever wanted to be accepted by your family but you wanted to live a different lifestyle than them? Or you had different ideals and were shunned for it?" Katya mumbled a soft 'yes'."That is why. The people who work here left their families to start a new life. We came here alone. Take Farrah for example. She was 18 when I met her. She was the new girl on campus and she just didn't know what to do with herself. She immediately got caught up in parties with the guys from the college that was down the road. We became roommates due to a mix up in my third year. We exchanged phone numbers when she moved in because it seemed like the best thing to do you know? It all happened on a Friday night though. I got a call at 4am from her. She was crying and sounded so sad. She asked if I could come get her from the frat house a few minutes away, I told her I would. I got up and drove to get her. I walked into the house while avoiding all the catcalls and found her in a bathroom crying. I helped her up without a word and we drove home. The next morning she told me that one of the guys there tried to pressure her into having sex with him and when she said no, he yelled and called her a 'no good wannabe whore'. I held her as she cried in her pink pj's. We reported him and he was forced to leave that school. Even thought I graduated the next year and had to come here, she never left my side. She was one of the friends that went with me back home, and she has been here ever since. I've known Bob since I was 18. He was the only guy I could tolerate from beauty school. He went for designing and made me a few dresses and even a costume for Halloween. He has been here through the unfortunate breakups and one-night stands and I've done the same for him. Now oh boy Alyssa. I have known Alyssa ever since I was 15. She worked for my grandfather and when I would visit him, there she was. She was my grandfather's assistant at the age of 25. She is a mere ten years older than me but acts as if she is in her 50's. But when I was younger she would teach me different dance routines, even though singing was my thing. I knew her talent was being wasted as a note taker and letter opener. So when I took over, she got a studio and a higher paying check. I'm guessing Dela told you how her and I met." Katya smiled and nodded. I reached to take her hand. "Listen, we may have just met but you are now part of the family Katya. We all have families but sometimes it is better to know that there are others who don't have to deal with you but they want to. And we want to. The motto we live by here is that 'We can't pick who loves us or who stays around but we can pick who we love and who we stay for'. It is something we all learned." Katya smiled and finished her tea. After what felt like hours of talking, Katya stood up. 

"I have to get going. I am celebrating with Adore and a few friends tonight. I had a good first day." 

"I am glad to hear that. Have fun and tell Adore I said hello." 

"I will and see you tomorrow boss."

"See you tomorrow Katya."


	11. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "No, just they aren't blood sucking, Halloween loving, pale, night of the living dead rejects." I said as I rolled my eyes and laughed. "Where is Ginger?" 
> 
> "Oh she's in the kitchen with Bianca." I walked to the kitchen and giggled at what Sharron said after my back was turned. 
> 
> "Who doesn't love Halloween or a nice cup of piping hot blood?" 
> 
> "Yeahhhh they must be a real bore," Alaska replied.

Katya's POV

   I drove across the city to Bianca's place after stopping to get Adore's favorite cake and beer. The conversion I had with Trixie replayed in my head. She spoke with such care but there was hurt behind her words. She didn't smile much, like actually smile. But after talking more and making her laugh, I saw what I knew to be a real smile. And from that moment on, I vowed to do what I could to see that smile and not some half-assed knock off. I pulled up to Bianca's two story house and sat in the driveway for a bit. The only thing on my mind was Trixie and I kicked myself for it. She was my boss and hopefully later on, friend. But that was it. After a few more mental kicks, I got out and knocked on the door. Adore answer and nearly knocked me down with a hug. "KATYA! You came!" 

"Of course I did! I brought something sweet and beer." 

"Party!" Adore grabbed the cake and beer and made her way to the kitchen. When I made my way to the living room, I saw Alaska with Sharron. 

"Hey you whores." I walked to the pair and hugged them both. 

"Hey Miss Zamo how'd it go?" Sharron asked taking a sip of her beer. 

"It was interestingly odd. The people who work there are so much different than what I'm used to." 

"Ooh so are they stuck up?" Alaska looked up from her phone to make eye contact with me. 

"No, just they aren't blood sucking, Halloween loving, pale, night of the living dead rejects." I said as I rolled my eyes and laughed. "Where is Ginger?" 

"Oh she's in the kitchen with Bianca." I walked to the kitchen and giggled at what Sharron said after my back was turned. 

"Who doesn't love Halloween or a nice cup of piping hot blood?" 

"Yeahhhh they must be a real bore," Alaska replied. 

"Oh there she is. Hey Katya we were just talking about you." Bianca smirked at me. 

"Hmm I wondered why my skin burned. The two elder witches are planning my downfall." I hugged Bianca and sat on the counter. "May I ask why I was the topic of the kitchen rally?" 

"Well we were wondering how our favourite Russian whore's first day went. Trixie didn't call me yelling at me for suggesting you so either you killed her and hid the body or left before she could even see you." Ginger laughed at her dark joke and Bianca joined in. 

"Oh ha ha ha very funny. Was me just doing good and getting the job a possibility you guys thought of?" They looked at each other. 

"Of course it was Katya. Now how was it? Adore told us she was a pink fluffy Barbie doll." Bianca said as she took a sip of her wine. 

"I got the job and met everyone who worked there. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I talked to them all and well.."

"Well what Katya? Spit it out." Ginger commanded. 

"They are all so close, I am basically an outsider. Well more than I already am." Ginger and Bianca walked over and grabbed my hands. 

"Do they treat you like an outsider?" I shook my head no at Ginger's question. "Then there is no need to label yourself as one. They welcomed you Katya, accept it."

"Not everyone is gonna judge you. Give them a chance before you shut down on them. From what Adore said, they seem like good people. And you know more than anyone that good people are hard to come by. so don't be so quick to shut them down." Bianca squeezed my hand as she spoke. Adore laughed from the other side of the kitchen, she was so busy eating cake that I had forgotten she was here. 

"Let's party now. Katya got her job and I found my start!" She walked to the three of us and hugged us. "Life is turning for the best and we are gonna ride the wave while it's high tide." 

    After a few beers and glasses of wine, the celebrated really started. Music blasted through speakers and we danced around Bianca's open floor. After two hours of dancing, I went and sat down. I looked at my friends and how happy they were. Maybe it was time to let myself be fully happy. It really did seem like life was turning for the better and who's to say I can't enjoy that turn? Ginger looked over at me and smiled. I had the best group of friends a reject like me could ask for, and after the feeling of having no one, that is what I needed and never wanted to let them go.


	12. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Trixie, it's Katya." 
> 
> "I'm in here Katya." I walked further into the room and followed her voice. She walked out of a room and my breathe hitched. She was in a towel, I looked down as I blushed. "My grandfather had a bathroom in here for when he stayed overnight. It comes in handy. Are you okay Katya?" 
> 
> "Yes yes I'm okay. Here is your stuff." I walked to her and handed her all of the things I had gotten and her key.
> 
> "Ooh I love this dress. Nice choice. I will change and then we can get started." She vanished into the bathroom and I ran to look in a mirror across the room. I went from blushing to being as pale as a ghost. This woman would be the death of me.

Katya's POV

I made my way home at about 2am. It was now 5, and I had gotten three hours of sleep. I thanked the heavens that I didn't have a hangover. I got up and made my way to the bathroom. A nice hot shower sounded like an amazing start to my day. As hot steam filled the room, I let my body relax. I didn't have to be to the office until 8. So that left an hour for yoga, one hour to get ready, and then an hour to get coffee and cake pops then the drive there. I was proud of already having my morning routine sorted out. Hot water hit my skin and I was pulled deeper into my thoughts. The thoughts that were filled with the conversions I had yesterday. The ones with Dela, Ginger, Violet, and Trixie. The conversions that made me feel as if I was going to be okay and that I am allowed to be okay. Today was going to be a good day, I would make sure of it. 

After my shower, I got dressed in yoga pants and a sports bra. I turned on music while I sketched. I went through many poses and felt my body relax more. I always felt awake after a shower but felt alive after yoga. As the song changed to a song with a more up tempo melody, I found myself dancing a little. I let the music move me and take me where it wanted to. My legs moved on their own to the melody of the song and my hips swayed to keep the rhythm. As the end of the song came, I slowly slid into a spilt. After the song was over I got up and went to get ready. The same smokey eye and red lip. I decided to wear a black top with lace sleeves and a black skirt with a red jacket and red boots. I like what I like and I won't apologize for it. I made my way out the door to make the drive to Starbucks. I ordered my usual and the sugar high in a cup for Trixie, and her two cake pops. Just as I was getting in my car, I got a phone call. I looked at my phone and it read 'Miss Mattel'. I have to remember to change that. I hit the answer button. 

"Hello this is Katya." 

"I know who I called silly." She replied with a giggle. 

"Of course Miss Mattel. How can I help you Trixie? Is there something wrong?" 

"You could say that. I need a favor Katya." I felt a lump form in my throat that made me swallow rather hard. 

"Um okay what would that favor be?" 

"So I had a few more things to get done here and somehow I fell asleep. Which usually isn't a problem but uh today it is." I hummed for her to continue. "Mother nature made a visit and I am not prepared." It took me a while to understand what she meant but when I understood, I giggled. 

"Oh it's shark week? There's blood in the water." I heard her groan. "I am sorry. I did not mean to make jokes about your misfortune. But what does this have to do with me?" 

"I need you to go to my house and get me a few things Katya." 

"You need me to what?" 

"Katya please. I would but that would be more time that I lose from today. I would have to figure out what to wear and that takes me a few hours that I just don't have that to waste." She whined and I decided then and there that her whining could get me to do anything. Need me to hide Alyssa's body? Got it. Want me to to rob a candy store or Ulta? You bet. Want me to sell my organs on the black market for some spending cash? Oh mama bag em up. 

"Okay okay send me the address." 

"Oh thank you thank you. There is a key in the potted plant on the side. It is taped to the inside. Just bring it with you when you come in. And don't worry about being late." 

"Yeah yeah yeah I will be there. Bye Miss Mattel." I pressed the end button and smiled. Trixie sent me her address and I saw that it wasn't that far from Bianca's house. Only four houses down to be exact. I smiled more at the idea of being able to have Trixie come hang out with my weirdo group of friends. Her pink aura in the room with so many off brand odd balls, sounded like quite the night. I was glad that Bianca would be at work by this time, I didn't want to have to explain why I was passing her house to go to another house four houses down. As I pulled up in the driveway, I was in awe. The house was pink with white trimmings and flowers in the yard. There was a huge tree with a tire swing on it and I really wanted to take it all in but I had no time. I found the key and opened the door. The inside was more Trixie than her office was. Shades of pink and bright yellows filled the house. A white couch with yellow pillows, white and pink rugs, paintings of the beach and sunsets. This house looked as if Barbie ordered it herself. I made my way up the stairs and found Trixie's room. I looked at the list she sent me and grabbed the key items she needed. As I looked in her closet I was overwhelmed. There was so much and so little time. I should have known this woman had a walk in closet. After ten minutes of looking around, I settled on a short yellow plaid dress with thigh high white boots. Because well comfort, yeah I wanted her to be comfortable. I walked downstairs and was stopped by little fluff balls sitting on the stars, three of them. I kneeled down and pet them all. So cute and fluffy. 

"Oh I wish I could take you all. But I think your mommy would kill me." After finding treats for the little balls of fluff, I left and drove to the office. The doorman, who I found out is named Herald, opened the door and greeted me. I had to make two trips in order to get all that I needed. As I walked into the lobby, Dela ran to me. 

"Oh hello hello hello. Good morning Katya. What is all this?"

"Good morning Dela. I had to go get a few things for Trixie." She nodded. "I will come talk to you in a few Dela." She smiled and bounced back to her desk. "Oh yeah Trixie is in her grandfather's second office on the top floor." 

"Why did he have a second office?" Dela chewed on her pen and looked as if she was in deep thought. 

"You know, I have no idea. But it is the top floor and at the end of the hall." I thanked Dela and walked to the elevator. The elevator played Dolly and I shook my head with a smile on my face. I walked to the end of the hall and knocked on the double doors. There wasn't an answer. I opened the door but I didn't see Trixie. 

"Trixie, it's Katya." 

"I'm in here Katya." I walked further into the room and followed her voice. She walked out of a room and my breathe hitched. She was in a towel, I looked down as I blushed. "My grandfather had a bathroom in here for when he stayed overnight. It comes in handy. Are you okay Katya?" 

"Yes yes I'm okay. Here is your stuff." I walked to her and handed her all of the things I had gotten and her key.

"Ooh I love this dress. Nice choice. I will change and then we can get started." She vanished into the bathroom and I ran to look in a mirror across the room. I went from blushing to being as pale as a ghost. This woman would be the death of me. I looked to the sky. Ugh please kill these butterflies. I shook the thoughts of Trixie in that towel from my head and walked around the room. On the walls were pictures of an older man and a young girl. The young girl had long blonde hair and a cubby face. This had to be a young Trixie and her grandfather. She looked so happy, she was smiling. But it was the smile that made your cheeks swell so much your eyes closed. As I walked and saw more pictures, she grew up. In one picture, she had pink hair. This had to be high school. Trixie was wearing a yellow dress and a white long sleeve shirt, her pink hair half up and half down with white glasses. I wish I knew her in high school, oh boy. She was holding an award of some kind. "That was the day I won an award for a mathematics competition. I was a huge nerd in high school. I was president of a math club." I turned around to see Trixie in that yellow dress. Her blonde locks fuzzy but still beautiful. Those white boots made her legs go for miles it seemed. 

"You look beautiful." She smiled shyly and I wanted to hide. "Shit I mean you looked beautiful in this picture. But that doesn't mean you don't look beautiful now or any other time. Because you do. Uh you always looks beautiful even though I've only known you for two days uh. I..I like your pink hair in the picture. I'll stop talking now." Trixie laughed and walked to the desk. 

"So I think we can stay up here today. The windows let in a lot of light and I think it would be nice." I walked over and sat in the chair in front of her desk. 

"I think that is a good idea. But why did your grandfather have a second office up here?" She looked sad. "Oh crap you don't have to answer that. It's none of my business." She smiled sadly. 

"Katya shh. It is okay. This was actually his first office. After he got sick, he couldn't take the stairs. So he used the spare room downstairs for his office. He didn't have to walk far. I had the elevator put in once I took over. I tried to use this office when I first got here but it was too much. It reminded me of who he was before he got sick. Who he was after he got sick was a shell of who he actually was."

"Is that was you were so willing to leave home and go to beauty school far away?" She nodded and wiped a tear away. 

"I really loved him and he was just so sick, it broke my heart. I came to see him when I could. And I just hated myself because I wasn't by his side in his final hours. I still hate myself for it. This room is filled with me and I even wasn't there. I feel like if he could have walked up here, he would have ripped my pictures off those fucking walls." Trixie was full on crying now. I walked to her and kneeled down. I grabbed her hands. 

"Listen Trix, you gave him so many happy moments to play in his head in his final hours. You made him so proud it seems. This whole room is basically a shrine to your life and all that you had done. He wouldn't want you to hate yourself just because you wanted to do something bigger with your life." She looked down at me and I smiled. "I learned that we are the ones who beat us down when the ones who love us just want us to be okay and be happy. It is okay to be happy Trix. Trust me." She hugged me and we fell to the floor. I let her cry on me as I rubbed her back and held her. After an hour of playing with her hair, she had fallen asleep on me and I couldn't bring myself to move her.


	13. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Oh and let's not forget she went to your house and picked you out this lovely dress."
> 
> "Oohh sis. Short, tight, and easy access. She likes you and that is the true tea on that ma."
> 
> "Ugh can you guys just get done so I can start working? Please."

Trixie's POV

I woke up and felt someone under me. I looked and I was laying on Katya. Her eyes were closed and I smiled. She looked peaceful in her sleep. I snapped a quick picture and wished we could stay like this forever. Before I knew it my friend Kim was coming in the door. She looked down and saw me laying on Katya. I shook Katya awake. She looked up and saw Kim. I jumped up. "Uh hello Kimberly. What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same. Since when do we takes naps with employees?" Katya was now on her feet and held out her hand to shake Kim's.

"Hello my name is Yekaterina but you can call me Katya."

"Oh yes Katya. It is nice to meet you. I am Kim. You looked super comfy. I thought you were more of Trixie's bed than her assistant." I hated Kim for her sass at Katya.

"Uh I get paid to be her assistant I assure you. I am going to go see Dela." She turned to me. "If you need me, I am a text away. It was nice to meet you Kim." And just like that she was out the door.

"Kimberly Chi! Do you have to do that every time you meet someone new?"

"Do what Beatrice Mattel?"

"Make them feel as if they are public enemy number one. And don't call me Beatrice."

"Well don't call me Kimberly then. You started it. And I just want to make sure she is treating you right." Kim sat on my desk and smiled.

"She is my assistant Kim, not my girlfriend."

"Hmm I couldn't tell by the way you guys were all cozy there," she said as she popped a piece of Korean candy in her mouth.

"I had a break down about my grandfather and she was there Kim that is all. I hugged her and just fell asleep. I stayed here all night to get stuff down and was tired."

"I know Trixie. I was just messing with you but are you okay?" I nodded and smiled.

"So what brings my best friend here?"

"Well Pearl called and told me you needed your makeup done and she couldn't do it. So she asked if I could, she didn't want to leave you hanging. Aja should be here soon to do your hair because it looks like you need her help."

"Oh shut up. I took a shower here." Kim grinned and grabbed her makeup bag. She started to do a simple look. Half way through my base, she asked that question I knew was burning in her head.

"So do you like her?" I decided to play dumb.

"Like who Kim?" She looked at me with a straight face. "Kim I told you she is my assistant."

"And that means what to me? That didn't answer my question in any type of way Miss Mattel. You look beautiful today. A short dress and white boots? Hmm was this to impress her?"

"No Miss Chi. She actually picked this out for me." She pulled the brush from my eye and looked at me. I immediately regretted what I said. I kept my eyes closed.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" I opened one of my eyes. She pointed the brush at me. "Ugh she went to my house to get a few things for me. I didn't want to make that trip so she did it for me." She smiled and went back to my eye-shadow.

"Uh huh okay. And she just so happen to pick this lovely piece?"

"I guess so. I didn't really tell her what to pick so she just picked whatever I suppose."

"Uh huh."

"Kim what is it?"

"Mattel she likes you. Or at least knows what your body looks good in which means she likes your body." I kicked her with my foot softly. "Hey you better behave or you'll end up with a glass eye." After a few more minutes we heard a very familiar greeting.

"Ayo Sis." Aja walked into the room followed by Katya.

"Uh Trixie you have a visitor."

"Yes thank you Katya. This is Aja, my hair stylist. Aja this is my new assistant Katya." I heard Kim cough and mumble under her breathe a very audible 'fuck buddy'. Katya blushed and left. "Kim! Stop doing that."

"Ooohh sis. Is she your fuck buddy?"

"No Aja she is just my assistant." I rubbed my head.

"Yeah and that is exactly why when I walked in you were laying on top of her, giving her googly eyes." Kim laughed and poked me.

"What what wait what?" Aja walked over to me almost screaming.

"I had a break down. I cried. She hugged me. I fell asleep on her." I stared at Kim. "Kimberly Chi stop making it something it's not."

"Oh and let's not forget she went to your house and picked you out this lovely dress."

"Oohh sis. Short, tight, and easy access. She likes you and that is the true tea on that ma."

"Ugh can you guys just get done so I can start working? Please."

"Sure thing sis." Aja walked over and started on my hair as Kim finished my makeup. We talked about the upcoming party I was having to celebrate signing Adore, when Katya walked in.

"I am sorry to interrupt but I forgot to give you your coffee and cake pops." She smiled sweetly at me.

"Thank you Katya. You can put it on the desk and I will get it when I am done here." Just as she was walking to the door, Kim and Aja looked at each other and Aja spoke.

"So Katya, Trixie told us that Adore is your friend. Are you gonna come to the party that Trixie is having to celebrate her new contract with Adore?" Aja smirked as she spoke.

"Uh no I didn't know about a party."

"Oh Trixie how could you not have told Katya." Kim looked at me pretending to be shocked. "You should come Katya. Adore would probably love her friends coming."

"Oh yeah sure thing. When is it?"

"It is next month on the 1st. We always go to Trixie's to get ready. You should come and get ready there. You are apart of the family now." I watched as Kim and Aja worked for their unspoken plan to work. But I saw how Katya blushed and smiled so I was okay with it.

"Oh um I can meet you guys back here it is okay." Katya looked down. I got up and walked to her, putting my hand on her shoulder.

"Kat it is okay. You can come to the house and get ready with us. Aja and Kim are right. You are one of the Mattel girls now." I hugged her without thinking and so did Kim and Aja. After getting my hair and makeup finished, Katya and I started the day. It went rather slow, just meeting after meeting. Phone call after phone call. I looked at the clock on the wall, it was 10:30pm. Dela had already left and so did everyone else. Katya refused to leave me alone, she said I needed to sleep in a bed and not in a chair. "Kat you can go."

"Are you leaving?" she looked up from whatever she was drawing for the past two hours.

"No Kat I'm not."

"Then neither am I Trix. I will drive you home if I have to but you are not sleeping here again. Sleeping in that chair too much will make you have a bad back. Now stop telling me I can go." She went back to her drawing. As I continued looking through different papers, I saw Katya sneaking glances at me.

"Kat, what are you drawing?"

"Oh um nothing." I got up and walked to her. She hid the sketchbook against her chest. "Trixie go away."

"But I wanna see it."

"Yeah and? The monkeys of the jungle want safe environments to live in."

"Kat? What on earth does that have to do with this?" I smiled and put my hand on my hip.

"You can't always have what you want Missy." She stuck her tongue out at me and laughed.

"Oh you wanna bet?" I took a step closer. She backed the chair away a little. I stepped even closer and before she could get up, I sat in her lap and grabbed the book. "Now I'm gonna look and you be good and just answer any questions if I have any, got it?" She nodded her head and smiled shyly. I flipped through the pages and saw beautiful portraits. I saw one of Adore and another of Ginger. As I flipped I saw more pictures of who I could only assume were her friends. I turned another page and saw a beautiful portrait of an older woman. She has some of the same features as Katya. "Is this your mother?" She nodded slowly. I turned to the latest page and I was staring at myself. My blonde hair looked life-like on the page. My makeup done perfectly, the dimples on my cheek made plain, and the sunlight causing shadows on my face. I looked at Katya and saw she was looking down. "Kat, it is beautiful."

"I had a beautiful model to work with. Even if she moves like crazy."

"Well maybe if you told me, I would have stayed still Miss Zamolodchikova."

"Yeah yeah give me my book." She took the book from me and I noticed her hand was on my thigh. I looked in her eyes and smiled shyly.

"I um I think it is time we both went home. We have a big day tomorrow. Don't ask any questions. Just meet me up here and don't wear heels okay? Make sure to wear something comfy and not important." Before she could say anything I got up and walked to get my stuff. We took the elevator down to the first floor. I set the alarm and we walked out of the building together. "Well goodnight Kat. See you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Trix." She walked to her car and I had the urge to say something I might regret tomorrow or hell even tonight.

"Hey Kat."

"Yes Miss Mattel?"

"You are beautiful too you know? Really beautiful." She blushed and mouthed a silent 'thank you'. I got in my car and she got in hers. We drove off in different directions, but my mind was on her and I could only hope I was on hers. I decided I wouldn't ever regret saying anything that made her smile.

 


	14. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Like I told you before Trixie, I had a beautiful model."

Trixie's POV  
As soon as I walked into my house, I laughed. My cats had a mountain of treats and I knew they hadn't gotten them on their own. I walked into my kitchen to the icebox and saw a note. 'Hi I wanted to steal your cats. They wanted me to but I couldn't so I gave then treats instead-xoxo The kitty Kat Klepto'. I left the note where it was and grabbed a bottle of wine. I abandoned my heels in the walk from the kitchen to the living room, I'd pick them up later. The only thing I wanted was to watch TV and drink a little. I turned on the television as I looked at my phone, '1:30am'. Today was only Wednesday and it felt like the week was going by so slow. I would normally hate long weeks like this, filled with nothing but paper work and an endless array of problems and tasks, but for some reason I didn't mind it this week. Ever since Katya started working for me, I looked forward to going into work. She was so different from other people I met. She caught my attention that first day I saw her. The way her blonde hair reflected the light, the way her smile lights up the room, the way her voice fills my ears. My world had become Katya.

I decided to turn off the television after thinking and put on music. I turned my stereo on and walked up the stairs to my room. I took off my makeup and pulled bobby pins out of my hair before undressing. I looked at myself in my full body mirror. I was never the thinnest girl and after a while, I was okay with that. I grew up and learned that guys liked my body and later on, girls liked it too. And now I was kind of hoping Katya was one of those girls. I know it is dumb to become so emotionally involved into something that wasn't but it gave me a reason to smile. Was this okay? Probably not. Was it healthy? Um I don't think it is. Does it make me crazy? Pretty sure it does. But I didn't care, I had a piece of happiness and I really didn't want to let it go. I turned away from the mirror and walked into the bathroom. I ran a bubble bath and dropped in a bath bomb. The hot water felt amazing on my skin and Katya felt amazing on my mind. I sighed and let the water come up to my chin, I was a mess and no one knew it. 

It's one thing when you're a mess and others know but the thing is when you're a mess on the inside and the rest of the world sees you as together, complaining and being down isn't a choice. People could see you as a brat who is just complaining because it a just single raindrop that hit your face. When really that raindrop is just the start of the storm that visits you all the time in the dead of night and is slowly making its way into the daylight. That is the thing about wearing a fake smile, after a while the world forgets what your real smiles looks like. They don't know that the pain is slowly getting to you and that smile that has been a mask for so long, is cracking. You can only fix something with broken promises and false hope for so long before it needs to be thrown away. Katya gives me a break from all this. She sees past my mask but never pushes. She was just there when the mask came off, she held me and waited until I was ready to be a fraction of okay. I don't know why but I wanted to believe her when she said it was okay to be happy or why I opened up about my grandfather. Kim and Aja made me promise to go to therapy, which I kept that promise. After ten sessions that taught me nothing except how to build my walls thicker and higher, I gave up. They never said anything else about it and neither did I. I learned to smile and seem happy so no one would worry about me, I learned that from a young age. Keep a smile, laugh when needed, speak when spoken to, and cry when you're alone. It worked for years but as the darkness got darker, it got harder to know when I was truly alone. 

After I spent another hour sitting in a mixture of water and my tears, I found myself laying on the floor. The fluffy carpet felt good on my skin, soft and warm. My phone had been buzzing ever since I got home, I knew it was the girls asking about Katya. I didn't want to disappoint them but there was nothing there, and there never would be. Even if part of me wished we could happen, that part was senseless and reckless. The silence of my night was ripped apart by my phone ringing. I looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was 3am. The ringtone was generic so I knew it wasn't one of my close friends, which was weird because who would call me this time of night. I sighed and stood up to walk over to my bed. I looked at my phone and when I saw who it was, my heart almost stopped. 'Katya'. I rushed to answer so she wouldn't hang up. "Hello?" I didn't want to sound too interested in this call, it would give off the wrong message. 

"Hi, uh Trixie. I know it is late and I know we work tomorrow but could you come over?" 

"Excuse me?" I didn't want my voice to come across as rude but more of shocked. She cleared her throat before she spoke again.

"I can't sleep and I know this is fucking crazy but you are the first person I thought to call. You are fully welcome to hang up now and fire me tomorrow for this. It's just I know you wanted to maybe form a friendship and you seem like you need a friend." What was she talking about? I had a lot of friends? "We can talk, watch movies, eat snacks, and I dunno what ever else you want. You can bring an overnight bag and we can leave for work from my house in the morning." I could hear the uneasiness in her voice, it was cute that she was freaking out over me. 

"Okay Katya." She gasped and I could hear her smile. 

"Wait, really? Are you serious?" 

"Yes ma'am, I am. Send me your address and I will be there." 

"Thank you so much Trixie. You will have fun, I promise." She hung up after we said bye and sent me her address. I had no idea what was happening but I was okay with it. Katya lived thirty minutes from me, it is crazy how you can live in the same city as someone but never ever see them. I packed my toothbrush, outfit for tomorrow, and other things I would need to the day. I texted Katya to ask her if I could bring my cats because they never had to spend a night alone, usually I would call a catsitter to watch them. They liked cuddling at night. She sent me a thumbs up and told me it was perfectly okay. I packed them up and a few of their toys and treats to entertain them through the day. After putting them and our stuff in the car, we started the drive. I was nervous, it wasn't like it was a date or anything. I was still nervous though. The type of nervous that makes a person want to just crash in the nearest car to save themselves. I couldn't do that though, for a number of reasons. As I drove, I remembered what Katya said. The fact that it was okay to be okay. Maybe this was the first actual step to being okay, forming a new bond with a stranger. A stranger who made my heart feel as if it was beating out of my chest. 

I pulled into Katya's driveway and felt a warm feeling in my stomach. I texted her to tell her I was outside. She turned on a light and opened the garage door so I could park my car. When I pulled into the garage, she was waiting with her cat in her arms. A huge smile was on her face, a nervous smile. I stepped out of the car and let the cats jump out. Katya kneeled down and pet them all. "Oh hello hello hello. I am so glad your mommy brought you. I knew I wouldn't have to steal you." She sat her black cat down as she looked at my cats. "This is Lucy. Lucy is a bitch so don't worry if she doesn't like you. She doesn't even like me and I have had her since she was a kitten." I walked over to Katya and looked down.

"You know they can't understand a word you're saying right?" 

"Hmm, I think they can. They just don't care. Come on, I'll help you get your stuff." Katya and I walked to my car and took out everything. She laughed at the stuff I brought for the cats. "Do they really need this stuff?" 

"You never know hush up." As we walked in the house, the four cats followed behind us.

"Okay, so you can stay in the room next to mine. It has a big enough bed for you and your three fluff balls. I wouldn't want any of you to be uncomfortable. I am a good hostess." Katya walked down a hall and opened the door that lead to the room I would be in for the night. "I figured we would maybe watch some movies and have hot coco and cookies. I know that sounds like a little big slumber party but it is my life." 

"It is okay. I never had one so it would be fun to actually know what one felt like." We put all of my stuff on the bed. Snow and Mittens jumped on the bed to sleep, while Barbie followed Katya and I out of the room. She found a friend in Lucy and they ran off to only god knows where. Katya showed me the kitchen and told me to have a seat as she made the hot coco. "You have a very nice house." 

"Thank you, I thought it was a bit much for a lesbian who would never have any children. But then I remembered animals exist. Marshmallows or no?" 

"Is it really hot coco without marshmallows?" She laughed and smiled. 

"I knew I liked you for some reason. Feel free to look around the place while I am in here." I mumbled a 'thank you' and walked out of the kitchen. Katya's house was decorated to fit her personality. Silly, odd, but adorable. Black with random slashes of color. I walked in the living room and in the middle was a canvas facing the window. I walked around to look at it and saw me. Katya was painting me. There were such details in every single part, from my hair to my eyes. She was so talented, that she could even paint me to be beautiful. "Do you like it?" I looked past the canvas to see Katya standing in the doorway with two mugs. She walked over to me and handed me a pink mug with sunflowers and cats. "The only mug I found worthy to be held by those pink manicured femme hands." She smiled as she looked at me. I took a sip and smiled. 

"You are really good at making beverages. Are you sure you don't wanna do that as a job?" She laughed and sat on the floor in front of her painting. I sat next to her as my eyes wandered to her face. "And you are also really good at painting. It is beautiful." 

"Like I told you before Trixie, I had a beautiful model."


	15. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Fine woman." I smiled as Trixie sat on the counter.
> 
> "How are you going to help from there?"
> 
> "Who said I was helping?"
> 
> "Me."
> 
> "Last time I checked, I was the boss."

Katya's POV  
I thought I'd regret my decision to invite Trixie over, but the smile on her face as she sat across from me made me feel great about it. We decided to play board games, she had beaten me at _Monopoly, Life, Sorry,_ and _Trouble_. I was now trying my luck at _Clue_ , it wasn't working. "Okay so this is unfair Trixie."

"How is it unfair?" Trixie took a sip from her third cup of hot coco as she marked down something on her paper.

"Because you're smarter than me!"

"How do you know that?"

"You literally won awards for being a nerd!"

"Hey, that is false. I won awards for my math skills."

"Yeah, being a nerd. You won things for thinking." Trixie rolled her eyes at me and bit on her pen.

"Hmmm, I accuse Plum in the bathroom with the rope," Trixie quickly reached for the black envelope that held the answer to the murder. She opened it and jumped up, dancing. "Hell yeah!"

"Let me guess, you were right?"

"Oh don't be such a sore loser mama."

"Oh trust me I'm not, I like seeing you dance." I ended my cocky sentence with a wink. Trixie blushed and sat back down as she started to pull at her shorts.

"So, can we play another game?"

"I have a better idea. Follow me." I stood up and held my hand out for Trixie to take. She put her hand in mine, I pulled her up and led her to the kitchen. "We're gonna bake."

"Bake what? It is almost 5 in the morning."

"Well, maybe a cake or cupcakes? Or both?"

"Katya, we have to work in less than four hours."

"I think we both know we aren't going in early today ma'am."

"How do you know that?"

"Well let's see. You've had three cups of hot coco with extra sweetener and when I mentioned bed, you saw the display of games and ran to them like a kid in a candy store. Sleep and work are the last things on your mind." I walked to Trixie, stood in front of her and pointed a spoon at her. "So humour me and my baking." Trixie looked me in the eyes with the most devilish look a Barbie doll could manage. She took the spoon from me and smiled.

"Fine woman." I smiled as Trixie sat on the counter.

"How are you going to help from there?"

"Who said I was helping?"

"Me."

"Last time I checked, I was the boss."

"Well," I walked to Trixie and opened her legs so I could stand between them. "Be the boss." I stared at Trixie and she stared back at me.

"You make a very tempting offer Miss Zamolodchikova. But I want cake so bake."

"Yes ma'am, Miss Mattel."


	16. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "How are you handling it?"
> 
> "Handling what?"
> 
> "Believing in yourself."

Trixie's POV  
I've decided that Katya has many talents. From making really good drinks to painting, and even baking. I thought she was joking when she said her cake was perfect but when I took a bite, I saw just how serious that claim was. As we sat on the floor eating cake, the sun started to slowly rise. "Katya, what time is it?"

"Well my clock says it is 7:00am."

"Hmm, thought so."

"I'm sorry Trixie."

"For what Katya?" I looked at Katya as she played with her cake.

"Inviting you over. Calling as late as I did. Baking cake? Take your pick." I put down my cake and touched Katya's hand.

"Where is this coming from? Haven't you enjoyed yourself?"

"Yeah, I have. It's just you have a company to run and I haven't even been there for a month and I'm already messing stuff up."

"Katya, what have you messed up?"

"Well you're here when you should be at the office."

"Katya wanna hear a secret?" Katya nodded her head slowly as she held her knee against her chest, looking out the window. "I haven't had a day off in a year. I throw myself in my work because I want everything to be perfect. And even then I don't think it is enough. You are a breath of fresh air because you push me out of my routine without even knowing. So don't say sorry because I needed this." Katya looked up at me with tears in her eyes. I wiped a tear away with my thumb and smiled softly. "Thank you."

"A year huh?"

"Yep, a whole year."

"You're a crazy woman."

"Hey! I still am the one who's signing your paychecks." Katya and I went back to eating our slices of cake. After a few moments of silence, a thought came to my head. "Hey Katya?"

"Yeah?"

"What did you mean when you said I seemed like I needed a friend?"

"Well I dunno like, you seem so freaking busy that you don't actually have time for fun.  And the friends that I have seen that you have are busy as hell, so a friend that isn't so busy seems a bit needed. I mainly work on my artwork and not much else. I know that may sound kinda sad but it is pretty nice. So I always have time."

"I'll make sure to remember that. Now I think we need to get a little bit of sleep because I want us to go into the office a little later." Katya nodded and stood up. She put our plates in the kitchen and cleaned up the mess from baking.

"Well I will see you in a few hours Ms. Mattel."

"You sure will Ms. Zamolodchikova." Katya walked in her room and closed the door with a smile. I walked in my room and took off my shirt before laying in bed. My cats cuddled up to me and I was at ease. Even if I wasn't going to get all my work done today, I was still going to have a good day. I closed my eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.

I was awoken by one of my cats meowing. I looked at my phone and saw the time. "Barbie it is 12pm what could possibly be wrong with you?" I covered my head with a pillow to try and hide from her noises but nothing was working, I got out of bed, walked down the stairs to where Katya put the bag with the treats and gave her some. "Spoiled brat."

"That would 100% be because of her mommy, who happens to be you." I jumped and turned to see Katya in a very interesting yoga pose.

"Fucking shit, you almost gave me a heart attack. Why aren't you sleeping?" Katya shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

"Why aren't you sleeping, Ms. Mattel?"

"This monster here woke me up because her stomach wanted food." Katya stood up and picked up Barbie, petting her.

"Awe she's not a monster. Are you? No you're not, your mommy is the monster isn't she? Yes, she is."

"Once again, she can't understand you." I rolled my eyes as Katya kissed Barbie on her nose. "Give me my baby."

"No, I think she wants me to be her new mommy." Katya walked in the kitchen and put on a kettle. "Maybe you should tell your old mommy she needs a shirt on." I looked confused at Katya and then down at my body. I had forgotten I took off my shirt. So as of now, I was standing in my assistant's kitchen with my pink lace bra on display. I turned around and walked back to the room I was staying in for the night.

"Shit, shit, shit. Good job Mattel, just had your tits almost all out. Ugh idiot." I slipped on a shirt and took a deep breath before walking back into the kitchen.

"There she is. Would you like some tea?"

"Sure." I walked around the island and sat on a stool.

"How'd you sleep?"

"Well, I was sleeping wonderfully until that monster in your arms woke me up. What about you?"

"I slept for maybe two hours or three and then I was up. I am an insomniac so sleeping is like a game of poker for me, well life in general. Sometimes I win and other times I don't. When I lose, I lose the bets I made."

"And what have been some of those bets?"

"Now if I told you that I would no longer be a mystery. I have to keep some of my secrets."

"Oh humor me. You saw me cry and then held me as I slept on my office floor. It would be a fair trade." Katya sat on the counter and looked at me.

"I suppose you are right. Well I lost the ability to believe in myself, fully. I doubt myself when I really have nothing to worry about or when I really need to have faith in my capabilities. It is like a game of cat and mouse, one minute the faith is there and then I have to chase it down. And you know the funny thing about faith is, you can't see it so it's hard to catch. How can you know when you believe in yourself when you don't have to? It is easy to say 'Oh hell yeah I got this' until you get there. In my opinion, believing in yourself is a show for others. You make others feel like you can do it, not so much as making yourself feel that way. We feel way better when others build us up, when they believe in us. When we fail at something we worry more about how others will see it than how we see it ourselves. That is why mistakes hurt so much, because we worry about how others treat that mistake." Katya leaned her head against one of the cabinets and closed her eyes. "If they treat it like the end of the world, then we do that but if they don't then it's easier for us to accept it and get back up." Katya opened her eyes and locked those pools of blue on me. "Do you get what I'm saying?" I could only nod my head as my heart was wrapping around her words.

"How are you handling it?"

"Handling what?"

"Believing in yourself."

"Well it isn't as hard as it used to be. Everything is hard when you hate yourself, you know the good stuff that you're supposed to do. Like waking up and taking the day by the horns, when you hate yourself you just feel like you belong at the bottom of the barrel. It's hard to do simple stuff that keep you alive. Stuff like eating, sleeping, even breathing. It all gets hard. But I don't hate myself anymore, yeah I hate what I've done in the past but I don't hate myself anymore. So I think I'm doing better. I don't kick myself for eating anymore or waking up, I embrace it and count it as a win for me. A win for the new life I'm giving myself. That's why I'm so thankful for the job Trixie. It is part of my new start, just like this house." Katya laughed and smiled at me. "Sorry that I'm throwing all this on you. You probably have no idea what I'm talking about." I looked down at my feet and took a deep breath.

"I understand more than you know." I stood up from the stool and smiled. "Come on, we have to get ready to go to the office and remember clothes that don't matter."

 


	17. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Okay. You ready?"
> 
> "Haha, no. No I'm not."
> 
> "Too bad."

Trixie's POV  
After getting dressed I walked down the stairs and waited for Katya in her living room. I had something planned for today at the office and I could only hope that Katya would be excited. I checked my phone to make sure that it was all set up and smiled when I got confirmation. "Katya? Are you almost ready?" Instead of an answer, Katya walked down the stairs and stood in front of me in shorts and a bigger shirt that hung off her shoulders.

"Does this answer your question? What are we doing today anyway?"

"That is a surprise."

"I don't like surprises, I have a heart murmur."

"Well at least you can die happen. Come on we are taking my car." I kissed my cats on their noses and fed them. Katya waited at her front door for me and closed the door when I walked out. "You look nice today."

"Hmm, I think that statement is false."

"Wait, did you really just say my compliment was false? How can a person find enough balls to tell their boss that they are wrong?" Katya shrugged her shoulders and reached for the radio.

"Let's see what Miss Mattel likes." I rolled my eyes as she listened to the first song on my Dolly CD. "What is this?

"The queen of country music that's what."

"I won't say it is trash because I might get fired. But no." Katya connected her phone to my car's Bluetooth and scrolled through her music. "Ah, here we go." Katya clicked on the song and ABBA's 'Dancing Queen' started to blast through the speakers.

"Ooh  
You can dance  
You can jive  
Having the time of your life  
Ooh, see that girl  
Watch that scene  
Dig in the dancing queen

Friday night and the lights are low  
Looking out for a place to go  
Where they play the right music  
Getting in the swing  
You come to look for a king  
Anybody could be that guy  
Night is young and the music's high  
With a bit of rock music  
Everything is fine  
You're in the mood for a dance  
And when you get the chance.

You are the dancing queen  
Young and sweet  
Only seventeen  
Dancing queen  
Feel the beat from the tambourine, oh yeah  
You can dance  
You can jive  
Having the time of your life  
Ooh, see that girl  
Watch that scene  
Dig in the dancing queen."

I sang the lyrics like they were my life story. Katya stared at me with a huge smile on her face. "Oh you can sing!"

"Yeah yeah yeah don't tell the world." Katya's smile somehow was able to get bigger. She rolled down her window and stuck the upper half of her body out of it.

"Trixie Mattel can sing! Did you hear me? Beatrice Mattel of The Mattel Company can sing!" Katya screamed at the top of her lungs. I pulled her in and rolled up the windows, locking them.

"Are you crazy?"

"Eh, just a lil bit." I shook my head and smiled as Katya started to dance in her seat. The rest of the drive to the office was filled with Katya and I singing ABBA songs. I pulled into my spot and turned off the car.

"Okay. You ready?"

"Haha, no. No I'm not."

"Too bad." I got out of the car and walked into the building with Katya following behind me. She looked around the office and was in shock. There were cans of paint and brushes along with tarps on the floor.

"Trixie what is all this?"

"Well you like art and I love your artwork. You talked about how me changing things wasn't me getting rid of my grandfather's memory so I want to start putting my own touches around." I walked to Katya and grabbed her hand. "And what better way than to have my assistant but more importantly, my new friend paint a mural to greet everyone?" Katya squeezed my hand tight as she looked around. "You can paint what you feel represents us as a whole. Which means you also Kat. I'm sure we will all love it." Katya let my hand go and hugged me. I wrapped my arms around her as she cried.

"Thank you, thank you so much Trixie."

"You are one of us now. You are a part of this company and my life now. I wanted you to see just how important that is to me."

 


	18. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You."
> 
> "What about me?"
> 
> "You are amazing, you know?"
> 
> "How so?"

Katya's POV  
Trixie sat in the lobby and watched me as I painted. She moved an extra desk from an empty office and put it in the middle of the lobby. "Trixie?"

"Yes?"

"Do you have to watch me?"

"I'm not watching you. I'm just near you. I am working ma'am, thank you very much."

"Well then I stand corrected." It was 6pm and I wasn't tired. When I had an idea of what I wanted to paint, sleep was just in the way of my vision. After an hour of me painting, Trixie became active. She walked over to me and sat down looking at me mix paint. "Yes? May I help you?"

"Kinda bored."

"You literally run a million dollar company, how are you bored?"

"That is why I'm bored. It all gets boring after a while."

"I have an idea then. Give me your keys."

"What?"

"Your car keys. I wanna get something and it will only take maybe fifteen minutes." Trixie looked at me strange but reached in her pocket and threw me her keys.

"Don't crash my car you crazy woman."

"You are the crazy woman in this friendship." Trixie rolled her eyes as she answered a phone call. I went outside and jumped in her car. I started the car and drove to Ginger's house. Trixie's car was fast so the drive didn't take long. I got out of the car and used my key to open the door. "Ging! Gingy! Where are you?" Ginger walked out of the kitchen with an apron wrapped around her.

"Katya what are you doing here?" She looked out of the window and looked at me with an raised eyebrow. "Isn't that Trixie's car?"

"Yeah, it's a long story. But can I use the projector and white sheet we use for movie night? I will bring it back, I swear." Ginger looked me over and nodded after a bit. "Thank you Ging, you are the best." I went downstairs to the basement and got what I needed. I texted Trixie to tell her I was on my way back and hugged Ginger.

The drive back to the office was nice, but I was excited for what I had planned. I walked into the office and threw Trixie her keys back. "Where is your laptop?" Trixie pointed to her office while playing with a pen. I ran in her office, got her laptop, and walked back into the lobby. I put the laptop on the desk that Trixie was using and hung the sheet on one of the walls. Trixie watched me with the eyes of a hawk as I moved around.

"What on earth are you doing?"

"About to get rid of your boredom." I hooked the projector up to Trixie's laptop and signed into my Hulu account. I scrolled to find 'Silent of the Lambs' and clicked play. "Tada!" Trixie clapped her hands and jumped up to sit closer to the sheet. I turned off the lights and went back to painting.

"Hey, come sit and watch with me. You can work on that later." I shook my head and sat next to Trixie. Trixie watched the movie and I watched Trixie. She was so beautiful when she smiled. It broke my heart when I saw her cry before. At that moment, I vowed that her happiness was important to me. Trixie put her head on my shoulder and wrapped her arm around mine.

After the movie was over, I went back to my painting. "Hey Trixie, I have a question."

"Okay, I may have an answer."

"I hope so. Okay so you are all for togetherness, which is great but why is it so big for you?" Trixie took her glasses off and chuckled.

"Well, I didn't have the best childhood. Parts of it were good but not all. My mother was a lonely woman after my father left. She was so lonely that she married the first bastard that came around. She had a baby with him and tried her best to build a life with him, but my older brother and I weren't having it. We just had a feeling, and our feeling was confirmed one night. I was sleeping in my room and I heard a loud bang. My brother came running in my room just as I was about to get up to see what it was. He told me it was just mom talking to 'dad' but her crying told me wasn't she talking. My brother stayed in my room with me that night and the next morning, when I saw my mother, she had a black eye. My brother and I said nothing, we were scared to. Imagine being 6 and 13, seeing your mother crying into your breakfast. It went on for years until my brother turned 18, and stood up for our mom. But it didn't turn out well. She let our step father kick him out. When my brother was gone, the abuse started. When I turned 12, my step father hit me." I tensed up at the thought of a younger Trixie being hit. Her innocence preyed upon. "I tried to tell my mom a few times but she was too afraid to do anything so I gave up. On a Friday afternoon when I was around 16, my brother came to see me. I told him everything and he was upset to say the least. He told our grandfather and my grandfather came to get me from home that night. I stayed with him until it was time for me to go to college."

"I am sorry Trixie."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. But that is why it's important Katya. Because I want others to know that even if their real family wasn't there, they can still find a different family that can love them the way they want to be loved." I smiled at Trixie and could only smile. "What is it?"

"You."

"What about me?"

"You are amazing, you know?"

"How so?"

"Well you have overcome all that shit. You didn't let it push you back or hold you down to the point where you didn't make a life for yourself." Trixie blushed and rolled her eyes at me again. "You truly are amazing Miss Mattel." I went back to my painting and Trixie went back to her paperwork.

 


	19. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Wow, okay. Don't know what just happen but it will be okay Katya. She is your friend." After a few minutes I heard Trixie yell my name from downstairs.

Katya's POV  
Trixie and I had been getting along quite well, in and out of the office. After our first sleepover, we decided to have them every other weekend, and then go to work together on Monday. I enjoyed having her as my friend, it was nice. Tomorrow night was the first Monday of the month, which meant the party for Adore. Trixie had asked for my help with the party, considering the fact Adore is my friend. Trixie warned me that she was inviting her friends and that they would probably give me the full rundown even though her and I were only friends. I had to make sure to look good, I needed to. It was Trixie's weekend to host the slumber party but I begged her to let me, after a whole week of me begging, she gave in. The truth is, I needed the whole week and weekend to pick something to wear. Trixie already had her dress, shoes, makeup and hairstyle chosen. That is what happens when your friends are beauty experts. I sat on my bed surrounded by piles and piles of clothes. Clothes that reflected my failure at being a normal person. "Looks like you've been busy." I looked up to see Trixie leaning against my door with her arms crossed.

"Ugh shush up. How was your nap?" Trixie walked over to one of the piles and kneeled down.

"It was nice, thank you."

"How's that headache?" Trixie held up a dress and put it back in the pile. She did that with a few others before looking at me.

"It isn't as bad as it was. I told you it was from laughing at watching you trying to play Mortal Kombat."

"Hey! I told you I was bad at games."

"Well I didn't think you meant that bad." Trixie turned her attention back to the clothes. She looked as if she was filing things away in her head, like she had a set checklist for what she was looking for and nothing she had in hands, met all the requirements on that checklist.

"Whatever. Hey, what are you going over there?"

"Looking."

"For?"

"Something to wear."

"Sad to tell you Trix, and not to overstep as your friend but your body isn't meant for my clothes. Too much hips and other um assets." Trixie looked at me and threw one of my shirts from high school at me.

"I mean for you idiot. I know you've been worried about the party tomorrow so I wanna help."

"Do I have to go? I mean it's not like I'm a big deal you know."

"Katya, you are a very big deal. You matter just like the rest of us. And you don't have to do anything, but I would like if you came. Please?" I groaned and fell back onto my bed, avoiding eye contact with Trixie. "Kat, I know you hear me." I covered my head with a pillow and said nothing. Trixie threw another piece of clothing at me to try and get my attention. "Katya, answer me." I could hear Trixie move and then there was silence. I was about to take the pillow off of my head until I felt Trixie jump on me. She pulled the pillow off of my head and pinned me down. "I told you to answer me."

"Trixie, why do you always have to resort to this?"

"Because it gets your attention." Trixie paused and looked at me with a sly smile on her face. "Plus, you look cute when you blush and get all flustered. Now that I have your attention, I am going to pick out your dress got it? I will pick your shoes and I will send Aja to do your hair and Kim to do your makeup."

"Wait what?"

"Yep. Let me Kat, please." I sighed as I looked up at Trixie.

"Fine."

"What was that?" Trixie put her hand by her ear and leaned closer to me.

"I said 'fine' you whore." Trixie bounced up and down on me and clapped her hands.

"Goodie. I will go call them and then after I am beating you in a few games again." Trixie leaned down and kissed my cheek before getting off and running to call her friends. I got off of the bed and walked to my mirror. I looked at myself and the pink lipstick mark on my face.

"Wow, okay. Don't know what just happen but it will be okay Katya. She is your friend." After a few minutes I heard Trixie yell my name from downstairs.

It was Monday, 5pm. I walked to my car as I looked at my phone. Trixie had sent me home early so I could start getting ready. She was talking about how Kim and Aja had so much planned for me. Last night, Trixie went through my whole closet until she decided I needed something new. She demanded for me to give her my size in dresses and shoes. In order to avoid being sat on again, I told her. As I drove home I could only think about what was going to take place tonight. Aja was the one bringing me the dress and shoes, and for some reason that scared me.

I pulled into my drive way and got out. I unlocked the door and was greeted by my cat and Trixie's. I loved when she left them here. The little white fluff balls were adorable. I fed all four cats and walked upstairs. I decided to take a quick shower to relax myself. This was going to be the first time that I would be alone with Trixie's friends. She told me not to worry but shit that doesn't stop my head from trying to make me back down. Part of me wanted to just turn off all the lights, lock the doors, and go missing until the night was over. Although I couldn't do that to Adore, I couldn't go that to Trixie, and well I couldn't do that to myself. I had come so far and well I really didn't want to go back, I was making new friends and that is something I didn't want to stop doing. As I stepped out of the shower, I heard the doorbell ring a few times. I wrapped a towel around myself and rushed downstairs. "I'm coming, I'm coming." I opened the door and was greeted with a smile from Trixie's two friends.

"Ayo sis. Trixie sent us over to doll you up and make you look pretty for her." Trixie's friend, Kim, hit Aja's arm. "Sorry, I mean she wants us to make you look nice for tonight."

"Yeah, heh. Come in." Aja and Kim walked in and looked around. "Um, I'm sorry about being um undressed, I just took a shower."

"It is okay Katya." Kim smiled softly at me.

"Would you two like anything to drink? Any snacks?"

"Water would be nice. Where would you like us to set up?"

"Oh, hmm. In the living room is fine, there is a chair in there already." Kim and Aja nodded their heads and walked into the living room. I walked in the kitchen and grabbed two bottles of water. I took a deep breathe and told myself it would be okay. _Its okay Yekaterina. They are just people, just people. Two people who seem sweet._ I walked into the living room with a smile on my face, while in was screaming on the inside. "Here you ladies go."

"Thanks sis."

"Yes, thank you Katya. Now we should get started so you are ready in time. Trixie has sent us pictures of the hairstyle and makeup she would like us to do. So you just sit back and relax."

"Yeah, I will try." I sat in the chair as Kim looked sorted through all of her products. Aja sat on the sofa behind Kim and I.

"So, Katya how is it working for Trixie?" Aja chewed on a piece of gum as she spoke.

"It is nice. Everyone is really sweet, they all are so welcoming."

"That is good. She really likes you, you know? She talks about you all the time. Her favourite part of the week are your weekends together." Kim looked at Aja and shook her head as she started on my base makeup.

"Wait, really?" Kim looked at me and smiled.

"Yeah, really. She really enjoys your company. She is so used to us, the same old people, but you brought  fun to her life. You know, something new? All of us are super happy to see her happy again." I could feel a warm feeling in my chest as I thought about Trixie being happy because of me, so happy that even her friends noticed. After Kim finished my makeup, Aja did my hair. She curled my hair and after she was done, gave me the dress and shoes. I looked at myself in the mirror and was almost brought to tears as I looked at myself. "You look beautiful Katya."

"Yeah sis, Trixie did a good job." I decided I could make it through the night, not only for Adore, but for Trixie, and even myself.


	20. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ayo sis, your Blondie is here." I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror, I fixed my dress and hair. Kim walked to me and stood behind me smiling.
> 
> "You look great babe."
> 
> "Okay, good. Let's go."

Trixie's POV  
I looked at the clock and counted the hours until it was time for the party. My mind was racing with different outcomes of tonight and how everything could go. So much could go wrong and my brain wanted to remind me of that. My mind also found its way to Katya. She had been on edge all week, tense and out of it. I remember when I called her and asked her to help with the party. I thought it would be best that she was the one who planned the party. No matter how much of an awesome party planner I am, I didn't really know Adore, other than her musical abilities. My color choices are usually pinks, yellows, and light blues. Katya told me that Adore prefers greens, dark blues, reds and black. Katya spent the week making sure everything was set in place and I spent the week making sure Katya didn't go off the deep end. I tried my best to make sure she didn't stress too much or at all really. I know planning this party may have been a bit much, but I wanted Katya to know how important she was to me and to the company. That was easier said than done, because well Katya has some good days and bad the next. It wasn't a problem because well she's amazing either way. Last night she seemed so up tight and I only wanted make her smile. The conversion we had at 3 in the morning played in my head, we were laying on the sofa watching movies when I asked Katya one of the questions that had been on my mind. "Hey Katya?"

"Yes Trixie?" Katya continued to play with my hair.

"Well, I was just thinking."

"As always." I hit Katya with my elbow and rolled my eyes.

"Not to be rude, but you're fucking amazing."

"That's not rude."

"Let me finish. Why are you single?" Katya stopped running her fingers through my hair and looked at me.

"I dunno. Because of me I guess?"

"What do you mean?" Katya sat up a little, causing my head to move off of her lap.

"Well I have had a few problems."

"That is okay, most people have."

"My problems were and well are different."

"Kat, I don't understand." Katya took my hand and led me upstairs to a room at the far end of the hall. She took a key out of her pocket and unlocked the door. We walked inside and she clicked on a light. The room was filled with paintings, big and small. I walked around as I took in details from every one of them. As I walked further into the room, I noticed a series of paintings that were covered. "Katya, what are those?"

"My problems." I reached for the large sheet but looked at Katya before I continued, she nodded and turned away. I pulled the sheet off slowly and stared at the paintings in front of me. They were all so beautiful but different from the pervious ones I had walked past. The paintings went from stable to chaotic. They all seemed to tell a story, one single story. The story of the dark haired girl in the paintings. The one painting that pulled at my heart was the painting of the girl sitting on the floor with a single needle in her hand. I turned to look at Katya, she was leaning against the wall. She was pale and looked as if she was going to be sick.

"Katya." the only thing I could mange to say was my friend's name. I walked to her and reached out for her. Katya backed away and looked at me with tears in her eyes.

"Please, don't think less of me."

"Why would I love?"

"Because of my past. I was such a fuck up, I made so many mistakes." The tears that were hiding in Katya's eyes, started to emerge from their hiding place. "I didn't want you to know, there was no reason for you to know. You are my boss and the only thing that matters is my ability to do my job properly."

"Katya, that isn't true." I pulled Katya into a hug as she cried into my hair. "You are important, everything about you is important. Yeah, your past doesn't matter but if it is something that still bothers you, then babe it does matter. And, it seems like it does still bother you. Yeah, you may have came in my life to work for me, but you are my assistant second and my friend first. You don't have to tell me about what has happened in your life, but if you need to, you can. I will listen, I can't promise I will understand but I can promise that I will try my hardest to." Katya looked at me and smiled through her tears. She pulled away from me and walked to the paintings.

"I painted these in college for my final. The professor told us to come up with a concept and use any form of media of our choice. Painting has always been my thing, you know?" Katya sat down in front of her artwork and I sat next to her. She took a deep breathe and brought her knees to her chest. "It was just my mother and I, who came to America. I was around 14 when we moved, we had no choice but to leave really. It was all my fault."

"How?" Katya wiped a single tear from her cheek and continued.

"I uh, I was curious about girls ever since I was around 11. Guys just seemed like pigs to me, so loud and gross. Growing up, I had this close friend, really close. Her name was Nadia, she was a year older than me. One day after school, we begged her mother to let her stay the night and after many cries, she agreed. We watched movies and played games. It was all going really well, until Nadia started to tell me how her mom was cheating on her dad with the next door neighbor. Nadia's next door neighbor was a woman in her 30's whose husband died in his sleep. This confused me because my father and mother told me that in Russian, that just wasn't allowed. But Nadia made it sound okay, so when she asked me if she could kiss me, I didn't say no. I closed my eyes and let her connect her lips with mine." My throat went dry at the thought of someone else kissing Katya, even if she was younger and even if she was only my friend. "It didn't feel wrong when she kissed me, like everyone had said it was. If anything, it was the best thing I had ever felt. It was like I dunno, the feeling of a freshly washed blanket, taken out of the dryer or it was the feeling of hot cocoa flowing down your throat after you got frost bite on the tip of your nose, or the feeling you get when you eat homemade cookies. Just felt good, but that goddess didn't last. My dad walked in my room to tell us to go to bed and well Nadia's lips were still on mine. He was heartbroken I could tell, but he didn't say anything, instead he just closed my door. Nadia told me it would be okay but that didn't make me feel any better, I stayed up all night. The next morning, when Nadia left, my parents sat me down. They told me I could never see Nadia again, ever. I wanted to cry but I didn't, because." Katya swallowed hard and held onto her stomach. "Because it was all my fault. My family fell apart and it is all my fault. My dad wanted to send me to get help but my mother was against it. They stopped being loving to each other, the house wasn't the same. One day, when I was in school some kid threw a piece of gum at me. It was a boy and his friends, they had never bothered me before so I didn't know what was happening but then I knew. They told me that there was no room for gays, that I had to be purged. I went home with gum in my hair and tears on my face. When I opened the door, my parents were fighting again. Apparently Nadia had told her mother about what happen and to prevent backlash and people finding out about her affair, she started rumours that I tried to turn Nadia gay. She told all of her friends, I became the talk of the town. My parents got treated like shit, I got treated like shit. Our family stopped talking to us, my dad lost his job. Um one day, he decided it was too much. He um, he started drinking to try up and numb the pain." Katya covered her head and put her head down in her arms. "He was drunk, and um he..." I couldn't hear the last part of what Katya was saying.

"Kat, what was that? I couldn't hear you love." She lifted her head with tears in her eyes.

"He crashed the car Trixs! He was drunk and crashed the fucking car because of me. He hated me so he crashed the family car! Drove it off a fucking hill and left us behind to deal with it. I wish he would have just sent me away like he wanted to! My mother couldn't take it so she sold the house and moved us here...all because of me." Katya looked at me and all the anger was gone out of her face. "Why do I have to be like this Trixie, why am I so wrong? I just wanna be... fixed." I pulled Katya into a hug as she cried. I held her tight as if to protect her from the world and its hate. There was nothing I could say that would make her better or make those feelings of being a mistake go away. After a few minutes of holding Katya, I decided to say something.

"Katya, love?"

"Hmm?"

"I can't say I know how you feel. I will never be able to say that because I don't know but I know how it can hurt."

"How what can hurt?"

"Feeling like you are wrong somehow. I felt like that all my life, like I was just so wrong. I didn't have a loving father though, I didn't even know my father actually. I had a step father though and he loved letting me know that everything I did was all wrong. The way I dressed, the way I talked, and the way I acted. It was all wrong to him. There was no making him happy at all, no matter what I tried, he was just unhappy with me. I accepted it and moved on with my life. When I turned 15, I got my first girlfriend, her name was June. We were in high school together, high school sweethearts, I guess you could say. Her parents loved me so I didn't see a problem. One night after we left a football game, we went to my house. It was about 10pm, my mom was still up and waiting for me to get home. I introduced her to my girlfriend, and everything was pretty good. In the morning, my mom made all of us breakfast. They all loved June, but the mood changed when my step father came home. He had taken the night shift so he wasn't around last night. When he walked in, he asked who June was. All of us were quiet but June stood up and introduced herself. I was frozen as he shook her hand, we all were. Just the look in his eyes told us not to move. His eyes locked on me and they stayed there until June left. Her mother came to pick her up. When I walked back inside the house, he hit me. The only thing I could feel was pain. My mother ran to me and held me as I sat on the floor holding my cheek, but he pulled her away. He beat me." I paused and took a deep breathe as I closed my eyes. Katya held my hand as she looked at me.

"It is okay, you don't have to tell me."

"I know, but I want to. Anyway, um he made the family move because he didn't want me to see June anymore. Not like it mattered because I stopped talking to her. I didn't want her to feel like it was her fault. We moved to a smaller town hours away, it was closer to my grandparents so I spent most of my time there. I was always close to my grandfather, I got even closer then. I never told him about the abuse though, I couldn't because then he would have found out about me liking girls. He always asked why I didn't have a boyfriend, I told him it was because I wanted to focus on school. As he got sick, I took care of him and after a little bit I moved. Then well when he died I found out I was to take ownership of the company. I haven't seen my mother in years. She didn't come to the reading of the will, nor the funeral." I smiled at Katya as she held my hand a little tighter. "I guess that is why I value family so much, why I value friends. Because I didn't have that, I wish I did though. But who knows how I could have turned out if I did."

"You still would have turned out great, like you are now."

"Maybe. Katya, I want you to know though that nothing is wrong with you. You are perfect just like you are. But maybe, just maybe you should talk to your mother about everything."

"Wait, what?!"

"Katya, I think it could help." Katya stood up and looked at me.

"Trixie, I get that you want to help but um I haven't said a word about being gay to my mother ever since Nadia left. The answer is no." I stood up and held Katya's hands.

"I can't make you but if you decide you want to then just know I will be here." I pulled Katya into another hug. "Okay, how about we go get some rest? We have a lot to do tomorrow."

Ever since Katya opened up to me last night, I felt a even bigger pull towards her. I know knew that most of the things she did had a reason. I wanted her to feel love more now than I did before. There was a knock at my office door that pulled me from my thoughts. "Come in." Aja walked in with Kim as they both smiled at me.

"Ayo sis, your Blondie is here." I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror, I fixed my dress and hair. Kim walked to me and stood behind me smiling.

"You look great babe."

"Okay, good. Let's go."

 


	21. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I saw that she wasn't alone. There was Adore, Ginger, and a few other girls I had never seen before. Adore jumped up and down as soon as she saw me.
> 
> "Ms. Mattel, Ms. Mattel, over here!" Katya looked in my direction and I swear I saw her smile get a little bigger.
> 
> "Hello Adore. How are you?" I gave Adore a hug as I smiled, trying to avoid the eyes on me.

Trixie's POV  
"How does she look?" Kim, Aja and I walked to the elevator, each of us in heels.

"She looks nice sis. You did a really job picking out the dress and everything else."

"Well I made sure to pick something that would fit her." My mind drifted to how I used pictures of Katya from my phone to pick the perfect dress, colors of the makeup, and hairstyle. I remember showing the young woman at Sephora the ten pictures of Katya I have. We talked about what eye-shadow would go with her eyes and what lipstick would look good with her skin tone. I spent more time trying to help Katya than helping myself. The truth is, I asked Katya last night to pick her dress and etc, when I had already decided I would. In my short time with Katya I have not only seen that she is talented but also full of stress. I also have seen that her and stressful situations do not get along at all.

"Hey Trixie?" I turned my head to face Kim as we got in the elevator.

"Why the top floor for the party? Parties are usually in the lobby."

"Well um, the lobby isn't in use right now. Well at least for a party."

"Why's that?"

"Katya is painting it for me."

"She paints?" Aja looked away from her phone.

"Well no duh, Trixie said she was painting it for her. Keep up kid." Aja rolled her eyes at Kim and went back to her phone. "Anyway, how are you two getting along? Like actually."

"Pretty well. She is a sweetheart, just the sweetest."

"Sweeter than Dela?"

"No one could be sweeter than Dela. If you are, you should go to the doctor because you'll probably die from a sugar overload." Kim and I laughed at Aja's remark.

"I agree with Aja, but she comes close to it. I just, I want her happy you know?"

"Is she not happy Trixie?"

"She is, but I guess I want her to be happier?"

"There's nothing wrong with that. Human nature is to want someone you love to be the happiest they can be." I looked at Kim in shock.

"Hey, who said I loved her?" Kim leaned against the elevator rail and chuckled a little. She winked at me and looked at the numbers go up. Not giving me an answer. After the last three floors, the elevator doors opened. We all walked out of the elevator and towards the roof. I stopped by a mirror in the hall and looked at my makeup.

"Pearl did a good job don't worry, and I am sure Katya will think so too." Kim grabbed my hand and walked me the rest of the way. I took a deep breathe as I opened the door that led to the roof. There were already so many people here and this wasn't even all of them. I looked around and saw many of my friends, Alyssa, Pearl, Shea, Bob, Farrah, and even Willam and Courtney. I looked around some more and found who I was looking for. Katya. Katya looked gorgeous and my heart felt like it was going to stop.

"Well go talk to her." Aja hip bumped me into view. I walked towards Katya and saw that she wasn't alone. There was Adore, Ginger, and a few other girls I had never seen before. Adore jumped up and down as soon as she saw me.

"Ms. Mattel, Ms. Mattel, over here!" Katya looked in my direction and I swear I saw her smile get a little bigger.

"Hello Adore. How are you?" I gave Adore a hug as I smiled, trying to avoid the eyes on me.

"I am feeling good. I am kinda nervous about performing in front of this many people but still good."

"You will do just fine, just remember what we through in rehearsal." Adore nodded and smiled. "You should go see Pearl, she wants to make sure she has the right music and everything."

"Will do. Oh wait, I want you to meet someone." Adore grabbed an older woman's hand. She was beautiful but in a different way. "This is my girlfriend Bianca. Bianca this is Ms. Mattel."

"Please just call me Trixie. It is nice to meet you Bianca." Adore kissed her girlfriend then walked off to find Pearl as Bianca and I talked.

"Likewise. Anyone who can deal with that girl there has to be worth meeting. And thank you for giving her a chance at all this."

"No need to thank me. It was all her, she is very special."

"Yeah, yeah she is." I could tell Bianca was talking about a different special than I was. I was talking about vocal wise while she was talking about something that made her go googly eyed. Bianca and I walked to sit at one of the empty tables, we both grabbed a glass of wine as we sat down. "So, you're Katya's boss huh? Ms. Mattel herself?"

"Yeah, the one and only." I took a sip of my wine as I tapped my foot under the table.

"How is that?"

"It is nice. We get along pretty well." Bianca took a sip from her glass as she looked at me.

"Pretty well seems to be an understatement." Bianca looked over at Katya. "She talks about you all the time, you know?"

"Does she?"

"Yeah, on the drive here she talked about how you listened to her about her family. She told us you even opened up." I looked at Bianca with a bit of worry. "Calm down, she didn't tell us anything. She respects privacy. Well yours at least, she sings like a song bird about the rest of us." I laughed at Bianca's joke and covered my mouth.

"Hey, how long have you and Adore been together?"

"A year or so, it takes her to tell you. All of our friends knew before we did."

"Knew what?"

"That we were meant for each other," Bianca paused and looked at Adore then back at me with a small smile. She put her hand on my mine "Sometimes, friends do indeed know best Ms. Mattel." Bianca got up and walked to Adore. I watched as she hugged her and kissed her cheek.

"Is this seat taken?" I turned around to see Katya smiling at me with that perfect smile that had me hooked since day one.

 


	22. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So, we're just gonna act like the real reason for them being late wasn't them fucking?" I smiled and nodded my head. 
> 
> "I think that is best for now Bianca." The girls and I started talking about how proud we were of Adore, until I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Aja and Kim standing being me. "Oh, hello girls. Is something wrong?"

Katya's POV  
I was nervous, nervous as hell. After Kim and Aja helped me get ready, I called my friends so we all could go together. I got in my car and drove to Bianca's house. I looked down at Trixie's house and sighed. I walked in Bianca's house and looked around. "Where are you whores?" 

"We are in the here. Come in here so we can see you." I had texted the group chat about Trixie picking my dress and all, so they were all excited. I walked into the kitchen after I took a deep breathe. Adore screamed as I walked in, we all covered our ears. 

"Oh my gosh, you look so good!" Adore ran to me and threw her arms around me. She pulled back as she looked at me. "Ms. Mattel did such a good job with picking this dress." Bianca walked to me and looked me up and down. 

"Sure shows quite a bit. Did she pick this out for herself?"

"No, for me."

"I mean, did she pick it so she would stare at your rack all night?" Adore took Bianca's hand and pulled her back.

"Babe, we aren't doing this tonight."

"I'm not doing anything." Adore looked at Bianca with a small smile. "Fine, I won't say anything. You look nice Katya." Ginger laughed from her spot in the kitchen. Bianca cut her eyes at Ginger. "And what are you laughing at you Wendy's reject?"

"Oh nothing, just the fact that the little mermaid over there has you on a leash."

"Ginger, Bianca, don't start please. We can all do this later on after we get back from the event." They nodded their heads and rolled their eyes at each other. "Good, now where is the spooky power couple?"

"They said they would need us they, something about Alaska misplacing her keys." Bianca scoffed and crossed her arms. 

"That girl would misplace her head if it wasn't on her shoulders." I looked at my phone and checked the time. 

"It's about time we get going girls. Adore has to be there on time, she's performing tonight. Which makes us all very very proud." Adore laughed nervously and rubbed her arm. 

"It is all thanks to Ms. Mattel. She gave me a chance." I smiled at Adore and hugged her. 

"Because you're fucking amazing. Now come on girls, let's go." Adore and Bianca rode in Bianca's car while Ginger and I rode in my car. Just as I started the car, Trixie texted me and asked if I could feed her cats. I had a slight smile on my face and drove to her house. 

"Uh, where are we going?"

"Trixie wants me to feed her cats." 

"Feed her cats?" 

"Yeah." I pulled into Trixie's driveway, got out and unlocked her door. I ran inside and called for her little fluff balls. I put food in their bowls and gave them all water. After looking at myself in the mirror Trixie has downstairs, I walked back outside, locking the door. I put my spare key back in my bag and walked back to my car. 

"So are we gonna talk about this or no?" 

"Maybe later we can." Ginger nodded and didn't say another word, which I was grateful for. I had to mentally prepare myself for this event, even though it was about Adore, I knew Trixie would be focused on me. She kinda always was. 

After 20 minutes, Ginger and I made it to the building. We stepped out of the car and looked at all the party decorations. "All of this is so well done." Ginger and I walked inside and took the elevator to the roof. I was trying to maintain my breathing the whole time, until Ginger grabbed my hand without a word. She gave it a slight squeeze and all of the tension started to spill out of me. As the elevator doors opened, she smiled at me. We stepped out and looked around. Everything was so beautiful. Ginger and I found the rest of the girls shortly after getting a drink. "Oohh, you look nice Katya." Alaska took a sip of her drink as she spoke. 

"Glad to see you made it girls. Did you find your keys Alaska?" 

"Yeah, they were in her bag the whole fucking time." Bianca looked at all of us as she held Adore. 

"So, we're just gonna act like the real reason for them being late wasn't them fucking?" I smiled and nodded my head. 

"I think that is best for now Bianca." The girls and I started talking about how proud we were of Adore, until I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Aja and Kim standing being me. "Oh, hello girls. Is something wrong?" 

"No, nothing's is wrong." Kim smiled softly at me.

"Hey sis, have you seen Trixie?" 

"Uh no, she might still be in her office. I saw her car when I got here, so unless she walked off, she's here." 

"Thank you Katya." Aja and Kim disappeared into the crowd and I tuned back into the conversion. Ginger started talking about her upcoming wedding and how she wanted Bianca to give her away. We all laughed and soon the conversion was cut short by Adore jumping up and down. Bianca had to hold her skirt down as she did. 

"Over here!" I looked in the direction of Adore's attention. My heart started to beat out of my chest as I locked eyes with the woman who had been in my dreams. Trixie walked to Adore and hugged her. She looked gorgeous tonight. She was wearing a pink strapless dress with white pumps. Adore pulled Bianca with her to talk to Trixie. I let go of the breathe I started holding as soon as she walked close enough that I could smell her perfume. Her and Bianca talked for a little until Bianca walked away from the table. I took a sip of my water and walked to Trixie. I tapped her shoulder and smiled. 

"Is this seat taken?" Trixie smiled and shook her head. I sat down with her. Her smile matched mine as we looked at each other.


	23. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Haha, I look 'uh'?" 
> 
> "I mean you look gorgeous tonight. Well not that you don't look gorgeous everyday, because you do. It's just you look fucking breathtaking tonight. Am I saying too much because I feel like I am? Am I?" I put my hand on Trixie's and smiled.

Katya's POV  
Trixie was staring at me, not speaking. I waved my hand and smiled, "Hello? Earth to Trix? Hello?" Trixie shook her head and chuckled. 

"Oh, sorry you can sit down." I laughed and sat down in the chair across from Trixie. "You look...uh." 

"Haha, I look 'uh'?" 

"I mean you look gorgeous tonight. Well not that you don't look gorgeous everyday, because you do. It's just you look fucking breathtaking tonight. Am I saying too much because I feel like I am? Am I?" I put my hand on Trixie's and smiled. 

"I like your talking. Your voice sounds nice." A waiter walked to the table and looked at us both. 

"Can I get you two anything?" Trixie smiled and looked at me. 

"Uh, two glasses of wine please?" The waited nodded and walked away. "So, do you like the dress?" 

"The real question is do you like the dress?" Trixie blushed and looked away. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Well, you got the dress for me so do you like the way I look in it?" 

"Of course I do. I knew it would look amazing on you." 

"Well thank you mama." The waiter walked back to the table and set down the glasses of wine. "This is really nice Trixie." 

"It was all you. You designed everything, I just signed the checks." 

"That may be true but you still made this happen for Adore. We are all so happy for her, she's wanted this for so long." 

"I can understand that." 

"What do you mean?" I took a sip of my wine as I looked at Trixie. 

"Well, I love music. I always have but I loved it more when I was younger. It was something special about hearing all of the sounds mixing so well together, making something even better than before. I used to get the pots and pans out of the kitchen and bring them in my room to put on shows for my dolls and bears. Then when I got a little older, I got my first guitar after playing my older brother's for so long. My grandfather did so much work making sure I learned the best techniques I could learn, too bad I never use them." 

"Why not?" 

"When I told my mother about me not wanting to be a Doctor or anything, she lost it. I told her I wanted to become a singer, a performer. Someone who used their music to make hearts beat again. She told me I wasn't going to waste my life like my father did. Some worthless musician playing in the subway for spare change. No matter how many times I brought it up, it was always the same. So I gave up on that dream and decided to try beauty school, but that didn't last long." Trixie looked at the stage and smiled. "But I'm okay with making other people's dreams come true. At least they are happy." I touched Trixie's hand and brought it to my lips. I softly kissed her hand and looked in her eyes. 

"You continue to surprise me Ms. Mattel." Instead of pulling away, Trixie linked her fingers with mine and looked back in my eyes. 

"Oh, highlight of my life." 

"I sure hope it is." There was a tap on a mic, causing Trixie and I to look at the stage. 

"It is time for Adore to perform. Come on." Trixie took my hand and led me to the front of the crowd. Adore stepped to the mic and chuckled. 

"Hey, um my name is Adore Delano. I will be preforming a song I wrote. But first I wanna thank Ms. Mattel for giving me this rocking opportunity and my amazing friends for believing in me. Oh yeah and my girlfriend Bianca who pushed me to uh do this. Thanks babe I love you." Adore blew a kiss at Bianca, Bianca smiled and caught the kiss. She mouthed an 'I love you' back to Adore. Adore took a deep breathe and started to play the bass line that started the song. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth. "Don't wanna be a part of that scene, I heard of the curses with death. My life is falling in to temporary sin, cluster of roses and babies' breath. I've been trying and I've been lying. I've been buying and I've been crying. And that's how I know, all of the legends die at twenty seven. They all went to heaven, all of the legends, all of the legends since I was eleven. All went to heaven, all of the legends." Adore lost herself in her music, every single time and it was a beautiful thing to watch. I glanced at Trixie for a second, she looked so proud of Adore. "And that's how I know, that I don't wanna go." Adore played her first song with passion and fire that rocked through everyone. Once she finished, the backing band slowed down and Adore put down her guitar. She grabbed the microphone and brought it close to her. "Um, I wrote this song before Bianca and I started dating. We were friends and well I wanted to be more. Really bad. Um, you'll get it once you hear it ha. Well, here we go." Adore picked back up her guitar and started to play it slow and steady. "Road trip and I lost my crown, to get away from this crazy town. He never seemed to look my way. My lover stays with his poker face. You know how they say I only have eyes for you, well you better be looking back at me baby." I tapped Trixie's shoulder and smiled. I held my hand out and bowed. 

"May I have this dance?" Trixie blushed and nodded her head. I took her hand and lead her to the middle of the dancefloor. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close. "I lead of course." We slowly started to dance to the sound of Adore's vocals. 

"And now I'm crying, cause you been trying. I said I been crying, yeah yeah yeah." Trixie put her head on my shoulder as we danced. Her in my arms and while she found her way into my heart.


	24. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Of course, but who is gonna lead?" I loved the way Dela blushed at certain things. She looked unsure by the idea of her leading. "I'll lead Dela, don't worry."
> 
> "Oh good." Dela grabbed my hand and pulled me up. She lead me to the dance floor with a smile on her face. I wrapped my arms around Dela and lead us to the song. "Ms. Mattel, I have a question."

Trixie's POV  
I couldn't take my eyes off of her. I didn't want to take my eyes off of her. Katya was talking to her friends, who all wanted to sit with us. I was too busy staring at Katya for any conversion. My eyes drifted from Katya's eyes to her lips to her body. The low cut dress was driving me insane, and her smile was adding to the insanity. Is it crazy that someone's smile can make your body tingle with heat? When she smiled or laughed so hard her that her eyes watered, my heart smiled. Katya looked at me and grinned at me. Her eyes met with mine, she caused my world to stop turning. I turned away, blushing. When I first walked into the party, I just couldn't stop staring at her. When I laid my eyes on her, they never left her. When we danced, she moved her body with the music. She became the music. As she took a sip of her wine, my eyes followed her. I watched as she swallowed the red liquid, watched her quench her thirst. I watched as she sat the glass down, and wished that I was that glass. I wanted her lipstick stains on me and her fingers to wrap around me like they did the glass. I wanted her to quench my thirst, the thirst that no wine could quench. The thirst that no body of water no matter how big or deep, could satisfy. The thirst that was for Katya, and only Katya. I was pulled from my thoughts by Dela tapping on my shoulder. "Ms. Mattel, would you like to dance?" I giggled at Dela's smile.

"Of course, but who is gonna lead?" I loved the way Dela blushed at certain things. She looked unsure by the idea of her leading. "I'll lead Dela, don't worry."

"Oh good." Dela grabbed my hand and pulled me up. She lead me to the dance floor with a smile on her face. I wrapped my arms around Dela and lead us to the song. "Ms. Mattel, I have a question."

"Okay Dela, what is it?"

"Do you like Katya?" I was shocked by the question but had to answer. 

"Uh, what made you ask that?"

"Well, I see the way you look at her. Sure seems like you have a thing for her. I haven't seen you look at someone like that in a while. I think the last person was Eric."

"Yeah, that was a while ago. I was just a teenager and so stupid." 

"Loving someone doesn't make you stupid."

"Yeah, but loving someone who doesn't love you does"

"I'm sure Katya would love you if you opened the door for her to." I laid my head on Dela's shoulder and sighed. 

"That is impossible Dela."

"Why is it?"

"Because she works for me Dela." 

"That didn't stop you from getting this close though." Dela pulled back and looked me in my eyes. "You can't pretend for much longer, we have to grow up at some point and stop playing dress up. Playing house is fun but I'm sure Katya would love it in the real world." Dela smiled and poked my nose. 

"Don't do that. I prefer my bubbly cookie maker than the smart girl who gives advice." 

"Well, can't always get what we want. Now, can we?"

"Oh, blah blah blah." Someone cleared her throat behind Dela, we turned to see Katya standing behind us. 

"Dela, may I steal her from you?" Dela smiled at me and winked. 

"Of course Katya, Have fun and Trixie, I know it is fun playing house but it gets boring away a while."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah go away." Dela walked off, while I was left with Katya looking at me, confused."

"Playing house?"

"Don't worry about it." Katya giggled as she held my waist. 

"Oh, well I was more of the playing doctor type of girl." I blushed at the thought of what Katya knew about the female body and how to treat it. Katya smiled and moved a piece of fallen hair out of my face. "I wanted to tell you that you look beautiful tonight. This dress looks amazing on you." 

"Well, thank you. Hey, um I don't know what you are doing after this, but would you like to come to my house? I thought we could spend some time together." 

"That does sound nice, I would love to come." Oh if only she knew how bad I wanted her to. I pushed the rated R thoughts out of my mind and focused on the conversation that we were having. 

"Good."

"Trixie?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Helping me out of my shell."

"I haven't done anything."

"You have. I wasn't gonna come here but the thought of letting you down pushed me here. You spent money to make me beautiful."

"Katya, you were already beautiful."

"You made me feel beautiful. I don't know why we are friends you know? Like, you didn't know me before I fell down a hole. Before I got messed up, but here you are being my friend even though I have issues." I took Katya's hand and walked with her to the far side of the roof away from the noise. 

"Katya. the greatest of people have issues, but that doesn't make them any less great. If anything it makes them better than they were." I looked at the stars and smiled. "Wanna know why?"

"Yeah." 

"It makes them better because they decided somewhere along the way to push past their issues. They decided to not let the problems knock them out of the race. They continued and became the best them that they could be." 

"But I let my problems knock me out of the race." 

"No, you were knocked down but not out." I held Katya's chin and made her look at me. "You kept going after you fell and made mistakes. You decided to keep going even if you could fall again along the way. There is nothing wrong with having a few problems, nothing wrong with making a few mistakes, nothing wrong with finding yourself after you got lost along the way. The bad thing comes in when you decide to give up and not try, but you are here at this party, wearing this dress, supporting your friend because you are trying. Katya, trying is the best thing you can do after you have fallen. trying is what gets you there, what gets you to your goal, what gets you to happiness." Katya smiled at me and put her hand on mines. She pulled me into a hug and held me close.


	25. Katya

Katya's POV

Trixie and I left the party after our talk. She took my hand and lead me to the elevator. "Trixie, where are we going?" 

"To my office, my feet are dying. I've been in heels for twelve hours." Trixie and I walked onto the elevator, I watched as she pushed the button for the floor before the top.

"I thought you said we were going to your office." 

"We are, the second one. It is way closer." Trixie and I stepped out of the elevator after the doors opened. Trixie grabbed onto me after she took her first step. She looked up at with with a smile. "Sorry, it is getting hard to walk." I smiled at Trixie and put one of my arms under her thighs. "Katya, what are you doing?" 

"Helping." I lifted Trixie off of the ground with a smile. She wrapped her arms around me. 

"Hey! What are you doing?" 

"I told you I'm helping." Trixie blushed as I carried her. She let her head rest in my neck as I walked. 

"Katya?"

"Hmm?"

"I want to say something kinda weird, but don't hate me okay?"

"I could never and Trixie?"

"Yeah?"

"Your weirdness is cute. It is one of the things that make you adorable."

"Hmm, shhh. Now back to my weird thing, your perfume smells nice." I swallowed hard and blinked a few times. 

"Uh, thank you." I stood in front of the doors to Trixie's office and looked at her. "Got the key?"

"Oh, right." Trixie reached in her bag and pulled out the key. She unlocked the door and put the key away. I opened the door and walked inside the office with Trixie in my arms. I sat her down and stepped back. "T..thanks for carrying me." 

"Oh, it's no biggie. I enjoy helping." Trixie smiled and walked to her desk. She turned on a small lamp and sat down. I walked over to her and kneeled down at her feet. I put her feet in my lap and took off each shoe. 

"Kat, what are you doing?" I started to rub Trixie's left foot with a smile. 

"Helping silly, duh."  

"Why are you so sweet?" I chuckled as I looked up at Trixie. 

"Because I was made in the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory." I winked at Trixie as I rubbed her feet. She kicked me softly then sighed. "What's wrong?" 

"Just thinking." 

"Oh, about what?" Trixie smiled and pointed at me. "Oh, um what about me?" 

"How beautiful you look of course." 

"Ms. Mattel, you are a sweet talker." 

"Just the truth." Trixie took my hand and pulled me up. "I don't want you to hurt your knees or anything." 

"Aren't you just the sweetest." I sat on Trixie's desk and looked at her, she turned to face me. 

"Did you have a nice time at the party?" 

"Well, parties aren't really my thing but I did have a good time."

"That is great to hear." Trixie smiled and put her hand on my leg. I looked at Trixie's hand then back at her. 

"Trix, I have a question." 

"Okay, shoot."

"What did Dela mean by playing house?" 

"Oh, uh nothing. You know Dela, head is always in the clouds?" 

"Trixie, come on." Trixie sighed and moved her hand. 

"She was telling me to stop avoiding it." 

"Avoiding what?" 

"The feelings I have for someone." 

"Oh, well uh that's nice." 

"What is?"

"That you like someone." 

"I suppose." Trixie sat back in her chair and played with a pen. 

"You don't seem to sure." 

"Because she won't like me back, she can't like me back." 

"What makes you say that?" 

"Just do Katya." I smiled and grabbed Trixie's hand. I had to push past the slight hurt I felt. The sadness that Trixie liked some other girl. 

"You never know until you say something. Ask her on a date. Text her when you get home and just do it. Any guy or girl would be lucky to have you interested in them, and if they don't like you back then they are fucking idiots." 

"Do you think so?"

"I know so. Go for it, then call me to tell me about it."

"You'd do that?"

"Of course." Trixie smiled and nodded her head. 

"It was nice meeting your friends tonight." I groaned and shook my head. 

"They were a fucking mess." 

"Oh yeah, but it was fun to watch." 

"For you it was, but for me it was painful." Trixie laughed and looked at me. 

"You are too much." 

"Am not." 

"Are too." 

"Yeah, but you put up with me so ha." 

"Oh, blah blah blah." I looked at the clock on the wall, then at my phone. 

"We should be getting home, don't you think?" 

"Hmm, I guess so." Trixie her shoes and grabbed her keys. I walked to the door and leaned against it, looking at Trixie. She moved with grace all the time, no matter what she was doing. She walked to me and smiled. 

"Ready to leave?" 

"Yeah, let's go." I held the door open for Trixie and shut it behind her. We took the elevator down to the first floor in silence. I was Trixie's friend, an employee and that was all. It sucked that she liked someone else, but then again I never showed her my feelings and if she was happy then that was good enough for me. 

"Katya?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Are you okay?" 

"Yeah, just kinda tired, you know?" 

"I understand that. But don't worry, you can go home and get some sleep." I hummed and looked down at my feet. Trixie and I walked out of the elevator and said bye to each other. I walked to my car, got in, and drove home. 

After a long hot shower, feeding Lucy, and refusing to eat, I crawled into bed. I looked out of the window and sighed. No matter how much I tried to convince myself that I was okay , I just couldn't shake the feeling in my chest. I rolled over and hid my face in my pillow. My sadness was irrupted by my phone ringing. I almost didn't answer, but it was the special ringtone I set  for Trixie. I told her I would talk to her after she asked the girl out, so she must have done it. I lifted my head and answered the call. "Hello?" 

"Hey Kat." 

"Hey." 

"I'm calling because you told me to." 

"Oh, what did she say?" 

"Well, I haven't asked her yet." 

"You goof, you're supposed to call me later then." 

"But I have to ask her." 

"Then call her and ask." 

"I am." 

"Not if you're on the phone with me. Call her, not me." Trixie giggled and sighed. 

"Katya, you are so cute. I am currently talking to the girl." I sat up and put my hand on my chest. 

"Trixie, what are you talking about?" 

"Katya Zamolodchikova, will you go on a date with me?" 

"T...Trixie, are you serious?" 

"Of course I am." 

"Um, okay." 

"Okay?" 

"I mean yes, of course I will go on a date with you." 

"Good, I am happy to hear that. How about we go after work tomorrow? You can go home and get ready after we get off, then I'll come pick you up."

"That, um sounds good." 

"Great, we should get some sleep now." 

"Heh, yeah." 

"Oh, Katya?" 

"Yeah?" 

"My crush said 'yes'." I blushed as I bite my lip. 

"I'm glad she did. Goodnight Trixie." 

"Goodnight Katya." I ended the call and took a deep breathe. I laid back down as a smile came to my face. The sad feeling faded away and in its place, came a feeling of warmth and happiness.


	26. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Katya, that would be like what a hour, if that?"
> 
> "You're the boss, we can go in a little late right?"

Trixie's POV  
I smiled as I thought about Katya's reaction. She may be older than me but things fly right over her head. I sat up in bed with my laptop open, going over my calendar for the next few weeks. Katya sent me my to do list and the organized calendar of her making. I took my glasses off and ran my fingers through my hair, detangling it. My cats, or as Katya calls them my fluffy trio, laid on my bed. They kept me company while I worked. It was around 3:30 in the morning and here I was, still wide awake. I was thinking about tomorrow, thinking about Katya. It was crazy that now she knew I liked her, I'm kinda surprised she didn't pick up on it before. I shook my head as I thought about Katya and the way she acted when I told her. I could hear her voice change from the moment I said I liked someone, but she pushed past it. She was just the sweetest woman I had ever met. I sat hitting my pen against my leg, trying to decide what I wanted to wear and where I wanted to take Katya. I wanted to do something fun and unexpected, something that she wouldn't see coming. Crazy that I spend more time planning a date, rather than working but that is what makes life fun. I closed my laptop and laid on my bed, scrolling through my phone. I had to get some sleep, so I turned off my bedside lamp and pulled the covers over me. 

I knew that I needed sleep but no matter which way I flipped and turned, I couldn't sleep. I finally gave up and got out of bed. I slipped my robe on, tied it, grabbed my phone and walked downstairs. I walked into the kitchen and ran water in my pink kettle that Kim bought me for my birthday. I turned the kettle on and sat on the counter, waiting for the water to boil. I unlocked my phone and scrolled through my emails and messages. As I looked through a text thread from Aja and Kim asking why I vanished from the party,  my phone buzzed with a message from Katya. It was currently 4:45am and Katya texted me. I opened the message and read it with curiosity. 

Katya: Hey, um I know you might be sleep but I can't sleep and it fucking sucks. 

I smiled with happiness at the fact that I wasn't alone in the not sleeping department. 

Me: Same, I can't sleep at all.  

Me: Hey, you should come over. We can not sleep together and maybe we can talk about where we can go for our date. 

I knew that Katya probably wouldn't come over this late but I felt like picking on her.   
I locked my phone and jumped off of the counter. I turned off the kettle and made myself a cup a tea. I walked in the living room and sat down in my armchair. I grabbed the book I had been reading for the past six months and opened it to the bookmarked page. I took a sip of my tea as I flipped to the next page of my book. 

My reading was interrupted by a knock at the door. I looked at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room, 5:40am. Who on earth would be here this late? It could be Willam or Courtney, they probably had another fight. I sat down my book and walked to the door. I looked out of the window and smiled as I saw a familiar blonde standing on my doorstep. I opened the door with a smile. "Hello Katya." Katya smiled back at me. 

"Hello Ms. Mattel." I stepped aside as I looked at Katya. 

"Please, come in." Katya walked inside and sat on the sofa. I closed the door and locked it. I walked back to my chair and sat down. "Not to be rude, but why are you here this late?"

"You said I should come over silly."

"I didn't think you would actually come." Katya leaned her elbows on her knees and smiled. 

"Well, I can leave if you want."

"No, no. It is okay."

"I'm glad you said that because I wasn't gonna leave anyway." I rolled my eyes as I smiled. 

"Do you want anything to drink?"

"No, I'm okay. Thank you though." I picked my book back up and began to read again. I could feel Katya's eyes on me. I looked up from my book and raised an eyebrow at her. 

"What?" 

"What what?" 

"Don't play dumb, why are you staring at me?"

"I like the robe." I looked down at my robe and I could feel my body heat up with shyness. My robe was made of a very see through pink silk, and underneath I only wore a bra and panties. I covered up and turned away. 

"Stop staring Katya." Katya laughed as she looked at me. "What's so funny?" 

"You're so cute when you blush." 

"Katya, shut up." 

"Aw, even more when you whine."

"Katya, you are a mad woman."

"Yes, yes but isn't that better than being a mad man? Anyway, what are you reading?" I hid my book behind my back and looked down. 

"N-nothing."

"Aw, come on. Show me." Katya stood up and walked towards me. I stood up and walked to the stairs.

"Katya, go away."

"That isn't nice Ms. Mattel."

"I don't care." Katya smiled and ran towards me. I turned and ran up the stairs, screaming. "Katya, leave me alone."

"Let me see the book then."

"Never." I ran in my room, being followed by Katya. She pulled the back of my robe and wrapped her arms around me. 

"Caught ya."

"Let me go Katya."

"Nope. Lemme see the book." 

"Never."

"We'll see." 

"Katya, what are you gonna.." Before I could finish my sentence, Katya's lips were on my neck and her hand on my front of my neck, holding me still. "Katya.."

"Shh, just enjoy." Katya's warm breathe hit my neck as she spoke, making my body melt into her arms. Katya's lips connected with my neck over and over again. I felt her move her hand down my legs, she grabbed my thigh and I could feel her smile against my neck. "Got it." Katya backed away from me. I looked back at her, confused. Then I realized what happen, Katya had the book. 

"Fuck you." 

"I mean, maybe." I rolled my eyes and sat on my bed. Katya turned the book over and read the cover. "The Price of Your Love? Trixie, what is this?" I didn't answer Katya, just sat playing with the end of my robe. Katya cleared her throat and read the back cover of the book. "A lonely country woman suffers from sadness as she tries to get over the death of her husband of ten years. She spends her time working on her ranch, trying to keep her husband's memory alive. Well that sounds sad."

"Stop that."

"Nope. One day, the life of the lonely woman is ripped apart by a blonde haired woman riding on a black horse. A romance begins to bud....blah blah blah...love love love. Ms. Mattel, you are reading a lesbian novel?" I stood up from my bed and took the book from Katya. 

"Yes, I am. Sue me." I walked downstairs and put the book back on my shelf. I turned around to see Katya sitting on the arm of my chair. 

"Is it good?"

"Huh?"

"The book, is it good?"

"I mean, I guess. I have been trying to finish it for like six months now, but I'm always too busy to."

"That's a bummer."

"Yeah, bummer it is." Katya sat looking at me. "Something wrong?'

"Not really, no."

"What is it Katya?"

"I wanted to continue." 

"Can I be honest?"

"Yeah."

"I wanted you to." Katya chuckled and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Maybe next time I can, and next time I won't be reaching for a book."

"We still haven't went on our date yet."

"Yeah, I guess but is it dumb to say that I don't need a date to want to make you my girlfriend?"

"Kinda, but it is the cute dumb."

"You're the cute dumb." I shook my head and sat on the floor in front of Katya. She looked down at me with a smile, then sat on the floor with me. She took my hand in hers and kissed it. "Can't this just be our date? It is me and you, and we are enjoying ourselves right?"

"I suppose, but I still would like to go out later."

"I would rather stay here with you." Katya put her hands on my face and looked in my eyes. She slowly leaned in and kissed me. I put my hand on her upper arm, I could feel muscles tense up under my touch. She put her hand on my lower back, deepening the kiss. After what felt like a bit of heaven she pulled away, putting her forehead against mine. 

"Where is all this coming from Katya? I mean I like it, I like it a lot but where?"

"Can I be honest?"

"Always."

"I've had a thing for you ever since I saw your picture hanging in the lobby."

"My picture?" I knew what picture she was talking about, the one I was so unsure of even hanging up. But Dela convinced me and now I was so damn glad she did. 

"Yeah, a picture. You looked so beautiful but now I know how gorgeous you are. Each and very moment with you is like something from a love story but without the tragic ending and someone dying like in your novel there."

"Shut up." Katya smiled but still looked in my eyes. 

"I have something I wanna say to you, but I'm going to wait until our date. Do you think you can wait that long?"

"Hmm, I don't think I can." Katya brought her lips to mine again, this time grabbing my waist. She bit my lip and pushed her tongue softly into my mouth. Without knowing it, a moan found its way from my lips.  Katya pulled back and chuckled. 

"How about now? Can you wait now?" 

"Uh huh."

"Good." Katya ran her finger against my bottom lip and stood up. "Well, we should be getting some sleep right?"

"Katya, that would be like what a hour, if that?"

"You're the boss, we can go in a little late right?"

"I guess we can." Katya grabbed my hand and helped me up. "Do you want to...maybe sleep with me?"

"I was hoping you'd ask." I walked in front of Katya, her hand in mine. We walked up the stairs and into my bedroom. Katya smiled as she walked us to the window, looking outside at the city. She sighed and held my hand a little tighter. "I could get used to this."

"To what? The view?"

"Yeah."

"Why? It isn't special or anything."

"Yeah it is."

"How?" Katya turned to me and wrapped her arms around my waist. 

"Because, it is a view with you."


	27. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ta-da."
> 
> "You are just too cute."

Katya's POV

Today was the day. The day of my date. My date with Trixie. After we laid in her bed for a hour talking about where we were gonna, she laid her head on my chest and fell asleep. I could feel her breathing as she laid on me. I looked down and smiled at Trixie. She was such a beautiful woman that it made my heart do new things. Things that I never knew could happen, but there is always a but. I wanted to be with Trixie, there was no running from that. But there was also no running from my insecurities and faults. I couldn't run from them, but Trixie could, and that was my fear. I was being honest when I told her that every moment with her is nothing sort of a perfect heaven but there is always that underlying fear that I will fuck something up. There was no easy way to open up about the thoughts I had been having, no easy way at all. Trixie seemed to have her shit together, why would she want someone like me? Or maybe I was just a distraction from her workload, maybe that is all I was. My thoughts started to get to me, but there was no way I could tell Trixie that. "Katya."

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, why?"

"You're not sleeping." 

"How do you know that?" 

"Because, I just know." 

"Oh blah."

"Katya, you know you can talk to me right?"

"I know."

"Okay, I hope you will come to me when you need someone." 

"Yeah, anyway we still haven't decided what we are gonna do today."

Well, I think your idea of just staying in was a good one."

"We have to go into the office today though."

"I know, but I only have a few hours in me. I think I'm gonna close the office early today. We can come back to my place. You still have one of your overnight bags here."

"Do I?"

"Yeah, you left it like two weeks ago. I washed the clothes and everything, so they are all clean and ready for wear."

"Oh, aren't you just the sweetest."

"Hush, come on we should get up and get ready." Trixie sat up and smiled at me. "Oh yeah, you left one of your suits here by the way and it is clean also."

"You are just all kinds of helpful. I didn't know I left so much here."

"Yeah, it is okay though."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you can just come to my house when you want without having to go to your house."

"I guess that is good huh?" Trixie smiled and nodded her head. Trixie crawled off the bed and walked to her closet. She pulled out my suit with a smile on her face. 

"Ta-da."

"You are just too cute."

"You know, I thought that about you last night." 

"Come here." Trixie crawled back on the bed and laid in my arms. I put my chin on Trixie's shoulder and kissed her cheek.

"Katya?" 

"Yeah?" 

"What did you want to tell me today?" 

"Uh huh, I said our date."

"Really Katya?" 

"Yes, really. Shouldn't we be getting ready?" 

"Katya, that is just not fair at all." 

"You think so?" 

"Yes I do."

"Well good, that was my goal." 

"Fine, I'm going to go take a shower, you get dressed."

"Sounds good." Trixie smiled and walked in bathroom, closing the door behind her. There was a heaviness as I stood up from Trixie's bed. I grabbed my suit off of the chair by Trixie's closet and started to get changed. This suit was one of my favorites, it never failed to make me look good. After getting changed, I grabbed my pack of cigarettes from my bag and walked downstairs. I stopped in the kitchen and made a pot of coffee along with tea for Trixie. After finishing in the kitchen, I walked to the backyard. I sat on the wooden steps and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it. I hadn't had a single smoke all night and it showed. This shouldn't be as bad as it was, but yet it was. Liking someone shouldn't feel like you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, or like you are trying to make it across the finish line of a race that you aren't meant to be apart of. It wasn't as if Trixie was like the former lovers in my life, she was so much different. She as patient and caring, warm and kind.  

My mind was just playing mind games, like they always had. I really wanted to tell Trixie how I felt tonight, how much I liked her, how much I wanted her to be with me. But what was so special about me that made her want me? I just was some addict who had so many problems, problems had ended up haunting those that came to love me. I didn't want to drag Trixie into that, I couldn't do that to her. I sighed as I took one more drag of my cigarette and stomped it out. I stoop up from the step and walked back inside the house, upstairs. I grabbed my things and wrote Trixie a quick note, telling her that I wasn't feeling well and that I would meet her at the office. I left the note on her pillow and walked out of her room. I walked outside and breathed in a deep breathe. After looking back at Trixie's front door, I walked out of the white fence and started my walk home. I could have used Bianca's car but I needed to have time alone, and what better way than an hour walk?


	28. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Thank you, unlock the door love."

Trixie's POV  
I stepped out of the shower and grabbed my towels. I wrapped one towel around my body and then the other around my hair. I smiled as I opened the door and walked into my room. "Hey Kat.." I was a bit confused when I didn't see Katya waiting for me. I looked beside my vanity, and saw that Katya's bag was missing, and on my pillow was a note. I picked up the note and sat on the bed as I read it. I set the note back on the bed and picked up my phone. 

Me:hey I hope you feel better but uh if you don't then you don't have to come into work today and I can bring you some soup to help you feel better. 

I threw my phone on the bed and walked in my closet to look for something to wear. I wasn't going to be there for long, but I still needed to look nice. After finding something to wear, I sat at my vanity and started my makeup. I wanted to just wear something simple, I was too worried about Katya to focus on makeup really. I took my hair out of my fluffy towel so it could dry. As I did my makeup, I kept turning around to see if Katya has texted me or anything, but there was nothing. I told myself she was sleeping, or in the shower. Katya always replied to my messages, even if it was something small. 

After spending a hour getting ready, I made it to the office. I waved hello to Dela and walked straight to my office. I closed the curtains and locked the door behind me. I leaned against the door and let my body slide down to the floor. I checked my phone before I left home, Katya had opened my message but didn't reply. It caused me to over think and form scenarios that would more than likely never happen. Katya and I weren't dating so there was no fucking reason for me to be checking my phone like I was. But she did kiss me last night, she held me. So maybe I wasn't over thinking, maybe. She went from showing no signs of liking me to all the signs, and then she left. I didn't want to seem like a brat or anything  but I needed something, anything. Maybe she was drunk, or maybe she thought it was a mistake. I heard a knock at the door that made me jump up. I wiped the tears from my cheeks and cleared my throat. I unlocked the door and opened it with a smile. "Hello Dela." 

"Hey Trixie. I just wanted to check on you, make sure you're okay." 

"Oh yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, you just seem a bit off." 

"I didn't much sleep." Dela looked a little unconvinced but smiled. 

"Okay, well I will bring you some coffee to wake you up. Oh speaking of coffee, have you seen Katya?"

"Oh uh, she isn't coming in today. She isn't feeling well." 

"Oh no, I wish I could bring her some soup. I really hope she gets better." 

"Me too." Dela smiled and put her hand on my shoulder. She turned around and walked back to the break room. I closed my office door and walked to my desk. I pulled out my chair and sat down. I knew Dela didn't believe me but I didn't care. She knew something was up, but I was thankful that she didn't push to talk about it. I put my head on my desk and closed my eyes. I didn't love to Dela when I said I didn't get enough sleep, because I was tired as shit. 

"Trixie, Trixie." I felt a soft tap of my head. I groaned and tried to slip back to sleep. "Cone on sugar, get up." I opened my eyes and lifted my head. I rubbed my eyes a bit so I could see a little better. When my vision was clear, I saw Alyssa standing in front of my desk.  

"Hi." 

"Hey. Why in the hell are you sleeping at this desk? You're going to hurt that back of your more than it is."

"Huh?" 

"Oh honey, those tits of yours gotta cause back problems." 

"Alyssa, please don't talk about me like that." 

"Oh please. Why are you sleeping here?"

"Because I'm tired." 

"Then you should have stayed home." 

"I can't, I have work to do." 

"Trixie, it is 9pm almost 10, the work day is over." 

"I slept that long." 

"Uh huh."

"Um, has Katya came in or anything? Called maybe?"

"Not that I know of, but I don't work at the front desk." 

"I'll ask Dela." 

"You can ask her tomorrow, get your butt home and get in the bed. I will lock up."

"Yeah okay. I think I will do that. Thanks Alyssa."

"Thank me by getting an actual good night's rest." 

"Okay." I stood up from my desk, grabbed my things and left my office. I waved bye to Dela and Alyssa, then walked to my car. 

After a long drive home, I got undressed and took a nice hot shower. I had given up on Katya messaging me or calling me, if she needed me she would have texted me by now. I was laying down, staring at my ceiling as I tried to stop thinking. I rolled over and turned off my light. I was tired and needed sleep. 

The sound of my phone going off woke me up. Barbie Girl by Aqua playing at full blast was enough to wake anyone up. I reached for my phone and slightly closed my eyes as the bright light hit my eyes. Instead of trying to see who it was, I answered. "Hello?"

"Trix.." My eyes snapped open when I heard the voice. The voice was faint, barely a whisper, but it was Katya.   

"Katya, are you okay? How are you feeling?"

"I um, I can't really breathe."

"Huh?"

"I'm having a panic attack, I can't breathe. I can barely see." 

"Okay, okay try to relax. Tell me what's wrong?"

"I don't know, just being stupid. Over thinking, being dumb. I..I am sorry."

"Katya, there is nothing to be sorry about." I thought for a moment on how to help Katya. I wanted to drive to her but I didn't want to hang up the phone until I knew she was okay. I looked at my guitar in the corner and got an idea. I walked to my guitar, sat on the floor, and started to play softly. "Hey Kat, do me a favorite and close your eyes. Just listen and don't speak." I took a deep breathe as I started to sing. 

"Weirdness follows me wherever I go  
Weirdness seems to know me even better than I seem to know myself  
I'm someone else  
Looking to the clock beside my bed  
Am I really keeping time or is it only keeping me instead?  
Go back to bed"

I could hear Katya's breathing calm down a bit so I decided to sing more. I hadn't played in a year or two but the thought of Katya pushed me to sing, pushed me to move my fingers against the cold strings that used to hold me up when I was done.

"Woah woah woah woah  
You've got time to grow  
Oh soldier, take your time  
No one said the words all have to rhyme, and if they do it's fine  
And even if they don't, no one needs to know  
Woah woah soldier, you gotta let things go."

I had no idea why it was so easy to come up with a song on the spot but I didn't care. When I heard Katya's breathing fully even out, I slowed my playing to a stop. There as silence but I knew she was there. "Katya?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I come over?"

"Mmhmm." 

"Thank you, unlock the door love." 

"Okay." I smiled and hung up the call. I ran to my closet and got dressed as fast as I could. I didn't care about the fact that I didn't hear from Katya all day, I just wanted her to be okay.


	29. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I can't help it if I always want to hug you." 
> 
> "Yeah and you tell everyone you're not a hugger." 
> 
> "Shut up."

Katya's POV

I did it. I called Trixie while I was in the different of a panic attack/ mental breakdown. I had no idea if I hated myself for it though. I thought she would have hated me, because I left for no reason. But she answer my call and helped me so she couldn't hate me. Right? "Don't do it Katya, this is what made you freak out in the first place." I stood up from the floor and walked downstairs to the kitchen. I turned on my coffee maker and leaned against the counter. I knew I wouldn't be getting any sleep anyway so a cup of coffee wouldn't hurt any. I put down the mug in my hand as I heard the door bell. I knew it was Trixie, no one else would be here this late. I walked to the front door and opened it. I was overcome with panic when I looked at Trixie. She was standing on my front door step, sleep dripping from her eyes. "Hi." 

"Hey Katya." I stepped aside to let Trixie in. She walked inside without a word. She didn't have an overnight bag with her so I wondered if she was actually mad at me. 

"I'm making coffee, you want some?"

"No I'm fine, but should you really be having coffee at 3 in the morning?"

"I'm not gonna sleep tonight anyway." Trixie smiled and shook her head. I walked in the kitchen and fixed my coffee, Trixie followed behind me. After making myself a cup of coffee, Trixie and I walked upstairs to my bedroom. 

Trixie hadn't left my side ever since she had gotten here. She left once and that was to get her laptop. She worked on her laptop while I read a Russian novel. "Katya, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"No, I mean actually okay." 

"Oh, well maybe. I don't know." 

"What caused it?"

"My over thinking." 

"About?"

"Want me to be honest?"

"Yes."

"Us." Trixie was silent but she was staring at me, so I knew that she wanted me to explain. I took a deep breathe and smiled. "I've never been in love before, like what the fuck are feelings. Like I don't know what I'm gonna do, I was crying because I do love you. I don't want to though."

"You don't want to love me?"

"I do but at the same time, I don't. I want to say no, because I hurt everyone that loves me. I don't want to hurt you, I would hate myself if I hurt you in any way." 

"Katya, I don't think you'd hurt me. And if you did that is just what happens sometimes. That is all part of having a relationship. Don't beat yourself up love." Trixie grabbed my hand and held it as she looked at me. "If you want to try then let's go for it, but if you don't then we can be friends like we are now. But know that if we do try and breakup, I won't hate you or anything." All I could was stare at Trixie. She was like a dream that broke up my land of nightmares. A dream that brought light and peace to my ever darkening world.

"Really?"

"Really." 

"Trixie?"

"Yeah?"

"I do want to try."

"Then we can. Nothing is stopping us." 

"I guess not huh?" I smiled at Trixie as she held my hand in her lap. "Trixie?"

"Hmm?"

"That song you sang for me, where'd you hear it?"

"Oh, um I just kinda came up with that. I wanted to help you and it just kinda just popped in my head as I played my guitar."

"It was cute." Trixie rolled her eyes and sighed. 

"Thanks Katya, but I was just happy to help you. That is all that matters to me." 

"You make me sound like some treasure." 

"To me you are. So, we still have to have our first date."

"How about we go downstairs and make a shit ton of snacks and rent movies as our first date?"

"That sounds good to me." 

"Okay let's go." Trixie closed her laptop and crawled off of my bed. Trixie and I walked downstairs to the kitchen. Trixie jumped on the counter and smiled at me. "You never help." 

"Because you look amazing when you cook and I don't wanna get in the way." 

"Uh huh sure, keep telling yourself that." Trixie pulled me in between her legs, hugging me. "Trixie, why do you always do this? You want something but you stop me from making it." 

"I can't help it if I always want to hug you." 

"Yeah and you tell everyone you're not a hugger." 

"Shut up." 

"How about you make me?" I rolled my eyes and kissed Trixie. She let herself sink into my touch. I slowly pulled away as I smiled. 

"That worked?"

"It worked." 

"Good, now I'm going back to making snacks." 

"Why do we always do this?"

"Do what?"

"Stay up so late then eat like it's the middle of the afternoon." 

"Well, it is just our routine."

"A routine that will make us get wrinkles at an early age." 

"Why are you so sassy?"

"Who wouldn't I be if I wasn't?"

"The barbie doll you've always wanted to be?"

"Ha, fat chance. I'm gonna go find some movies for us to watch." I watched as Trixie jumped off of the counter and walked out of the kitchen. Trixie handled what I told her really well and I think I loved her more because of it. She was nothing short of perfect. Was that scary? Hell yes. But did I still want it all? Fuck yes.


	30. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Sit here." I sat down, more confused than before. 
> 
> "Just sit here and look pretty."

Trixie's POV

Katya and I watched the sun rise, as we laid in my bed. I had to come home to take care of my fluffy babies and Katya came along with me. "Trixie?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever get lonely in this house?"

"What do you mean?'

"Well, your house isn't small by any means and you are the only person here, so I was just wondering."

"Why do you think I have three cats?"

"Really?"

"Well, half and half. I stopped feeling lonely a while ago, but lately to be honest I have been feeling that way lately."

"Why?"

"Want the true?"

"Yes."

"I've gotten used to having you here with me, or being with you that it does actually feel lonely here. But then again, I get that feeling everywhere you aren't. Yesterday, at the office I felt lonely."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You needed time alone, and I understand that. But, I am happy that you called me when you didn't want to be alone anymore. Katya, no matter what you go through I will be here. I will walk with you when you need me to and love you the same when it is all over. I will be here when the waters are raging, when it gets dark, even when I am unsure, and I will make sure I am here when it is all over. I'll help you pick up the pieces."

"You don't have to be here."

"I know, but you want to hear something?"

"Sure."

"I want to be here." Katya smiled and held my hand. 

"You're pretty great."

"And I think you are too."

"Hey, can we go into the office?"

"For?"

"Well, I want to work on the painting in the lobby. I want to get it done as soon as possible."

"Okay, hey I was thinking we have a party when it is done. You know, to show everyone?"

"Do we have to?"

"No, but think about it?"

"Okay, I can do that."

"Thank you. Well, we should get up and get going."

"Sounds like a plan."

Katya and I went to the office and she got to work immediately. It was so entertaining, watching her put her ideas into action. I was sitting on the floor, working on a few new things. It was about 10pm when Katya finally put down the paint brushes. She stepped back and smiled. She sat next to me but then decided to lay her head in my lap, after moving my laptop. "How's it going?"

"Well, I think it is easier than most things I've painted."

"Yeah, because painting a fucking wall is easy."

"I mean the free flowing of ideas. There are no boundaries holding me back."

"You sound like such a hippie."

"Nope, that is fully you. I've seen your closet."

"Oh, shut up. I'm going to get some tea, want something?"

"A red bull."

"Of course. Um, you have to move your head for me to get up."

"Do I?"

"Yes you do." 

"Ugh, fine." Katya sat up and frowned at me. 

"Aw, you shouldn't do that."

"Whatever." I smiled and kissed Katya's head before walking to the break room. I made myself a cup of tea and got Katya a red bull. I grabbed a few of the blueberry muffins Dela made and walked back into the lobby. I sat down and handed Katya her red bull and a muffin. "Aw, aren't you just the sweetest girlfriend ever?" I looked at Katya, a bit confused. "What?"

"Is that what I am?"

"Is that what you want to be?"

"Is that what you want me to be?" Katya smiled as she took a bite of her muffin. 

"Well, I wouldn't have said it if I didn't." I smiled and sat next to Katya. "Trixie."

"Yes?"

"You're blushing."

"Ugh, no I'm not."

"You kinda are."

"Oh whatever." Katya stood up after she finished her muffin and went back to painting. I couldn't do anything but watch in awe. I was Katya's girlfriend. I had to let that sink in, let that word and what it meant sink in. Katya turned around and smiled at me. "Trixie, could you come here?"

"Oh, for what?" I walked to Katya and watched as she moved a chair. 

"Sit here." I sat down, more confused than before. 

"Just sit here and look pretty."

"Katya, I have a bare face and my hair is a mess." 

"You are beautiful, no matter what." Katya smiled as she put her hand on my cheek. She softly kissed me and I knew that this was one of the best decisions I had ever made.


	31. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I hope you fuck up that liner."
> 
> "Oh, so rude. Um hey Katya?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi loves, I am sorry that I haven't posted. I've been super busy with life and whatnot. But I am back with updates! I hope you guys have a great new year and thank you so much letting my stories be apart of your 2019 and now your 2020.

Katya's POV  
*Six months later*

Trixie and I been dating for about five months now, almost six. We were still trying to figure things out but we had fun doing it. We kept almost everything the same, expect for the times I would steal a kiss from her before meetings, or the times I would wake up next to her. I still had some doubt but it was pushed aside by the emotions I felt for Trixie. I walked to Trixie's closet and looked for something to wear. Trixie pushed for me to bring some clothes to keep here. She is hard to say no to so I gave in after about a month. "Babe!?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you bring me a towel?" 

"Why do you always forget a towel?"

"It slips my mind." I grabbed a towel and walked into the bathroom. 

"No it doesn't. Trixie, I'm starting to think you forget on purpose."

"Now, why would I do something like that?"

"I dunno, maybe because you like the fact that I stare at you."

"Hmm, maybe." Trixie reached for the towel but before she could take it, I pulled it back. 

"There's a fee for making me stop what I'm doing." 

"Ugh, really Katya? You're gonna make me late." 

"That is the price you have to pay for 'forgetting your towel' mama." Trixie rolled her eyes and pulled me by my shirt. She kissed me as she put her hand around my throat. 

"You love testing me, don't you?"

"Maybe." Trixie took the towel from me and smiled as she wrapped it around her body. "I'm gonna go finish getting ready."

"Okay babe." I walked out of the bathroom and closed the door behind me. I took a deep breathe as I leaned against the door. 

"That woman." 

I drove Trixie to her meeting across town as she did her makeup in the car. "Trix, you really should start waking up earlier." Trixie groaned and rolled her eyes. 

"Well, maybe if a certain someone didn't keep turning on the light, I would have slept a bit better."

"Hey, your fluff balls were clawing at the bed. They kept waking me up."

"Awe, they just love their new mommy." Trixie leaned over and pinched my cheek. I slapped her hand away as I rolled my eyes. 

"Okay first, don't do that ever again, and second we aren't married so I'm not their mommy missy."

"Yet." I looked at Trixie as she started to laugh.

"I hope you fuck up that liner."

"Oh, so rude. Um hey Katya?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you thought about us having that party?"

"I knew you were gonna ask again sooner or later. I am almost done with the mural, I just have to finish the black outline. But I want at least another two months to make sure everything is the way I like it."

"So, what does that mean?"

"It means yes. We can have the party."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, you dork." Trixie screamed as she smiled. "Hey, you're gonna get make up everywhere."

"Sorry babe. How about we have the party on New Year's day?"

"That gives me enough time."

"Hell yeah." Trixie leaned over and kissed me as we pulled into the parking lot of an office building. 

"Wow, this place looks boring."

"Shows what the meeting will be like."

"You'll be okay. We still having dinner tonight?"

"Yes, please."

"Okay, I will make sure I get everything done at the office while you're here."

"Sounds good." 

"Bye baby."

"Bye babe, see you in a few hours." Trixie got out of the car and smiled at me as she walked to the doors of the large building. She waved one last time and blew a kiss at me before walking inside. I started the car as I took a deep breathe. A party. A party showing my art work. I hadn't showed anyone my art in years, other than Trixie. I was so used to putting my pain into the brush strokes that sometimes I felt like that was the only I could do. But Trixie made me feel so much different. She made me feel as if I could heal from the pain I caused myself, the pain I caused others. I didn't want to dive too deep in but that smile of hers just pulled me in and held me, along with every other part of her. There wasn't a minute that I was unhappy when I was near her. There were times that I would walk in her office and just smile so I could see her smile back. She would call me crazy while she kissed me, call me an idiot when I told her corny jokes, and say I had lost my mind when I would tell her she was the most beautiful woman ever. And every time I would reply, I am idiot who has you. A soft blush would cover her face every time and it made me cover her in kisses.


	32. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Well, no duh. But like for who?"
> 
> "Aja, you can look at it and tell who it's for."

Trixie's POV

"Kim, are you still meeting me there?"

"Yes, Aja and I are on our way there now."

"Oh god, who invited Aja?"

"I invited myself bitch, watch yourself." Aja screamed into Kim's phone.

"Ugh, fine just don't tell anyone alright?"

"Well, we can't really tell anyone if we don't know where we are going."

"You will find out when you drive to the address I sent you Kim."

"Kim, she could be leading us to the slaughter house and we wouldn't even know it."

"Aja, shut up. Just meet me okay?"

"Okay Trixie."

"See you then girls." I got in my taxi and told the older man where I was going. I told Katya to be back here in three hours, so I didn't have much time to pick up what I needed. I had a hour at best. I tapped my fingers on my thigh as I looked out of the window. I had a lot on my mind that I still was trying to figure out. Most of my thoughts now were about Katya and how to make her happier than she was. It was all still a work in progress, Katya and I. I didn't know where Katya and I were headed but what I did know is that my life was better with her. I wanted that better to last forever. A lot of my new favorite things involved her, waking up to her, holding her at night, even our late night cooking sessions. Katya had done so much more than she knew. My mind drifted to a dark night about two months ago. Katya was late getting to my house, which was normal. I passed the time by playing my guitar in the room that Katya and I painted. It was a calming shade of pastel pink. Katya would tell me to go in there when I needed some Trixie time. That night, she told me that I needed to reach for my dreams. She told me to make my own dreams come true and push for my own happiness. 

"Trix, you spend too much time focusing on others." Katya put a piece of sushi in her mouth as she sat on the ground looking at me. 

"Katya, we talk about this all the time. I am okay."

"Well, I know that. But that doesn't mean you aren't happy with some parts of your life. I hear the way you play, the way you sing. You put your all into it, paper pushing behind a desk all the time isn't for you."

"I'm not paper pushing."

"Eh, you kinda are."

"Whatever Katya." I sat my guitar down and stood up. Katya grabbed my hand as I walked past her. 

"I want you to be happy okay? Happy with yourself and your life babe, that's all." I smiled at Katya and kissed her head.

"I am happy with my life, because I have you." What I said to Katya was true, I was happy because I had her. 

After a 15 minute ride, I was finally where I needed to be. I stood out front, waiting for Kim and Aja. I smiled when I saw blue hair and heard a loud voice. "I'm just saying Kim, you need some action."

"Yeah, and you need a straight jacket and an off switch." Aja and Kim stopped arguing long enough to say hi to me.

"Hey girls, why are you two always at each other's throats?"

"Because Kim is a grumpy woman who needs some good sex."

"Sex doesn't fix everything Aja."

"Oh blah blah blah. Where are we supposed to be going?"

"Right here." The girls looked at a sign above my head. Aja crossed her arms and looked at me rather strange.

"A jewelry shop?"

"Yes, now come on. I don't have much time." Kim, Aja, and I all walked into the door of the shop. I walked to the front counter and tapped on the bell. An older man appeared from the back and smiled at me. 

"Hello Miss, how may I help you?"

"Um, I came here maybe five weeks ago and placed an order on an out of stock ring with a few custom touches."

"Name?" The man stood at a computer at the end of the counter. 

"Beatrice Mattel." 

"Oh yes, here you are. I will go get your order." 

"Thank you." I turned around to see Kim and Aja, staring at me. "What?"

"Why are we here?" 

"I'm picking something up and I wanted someone's opinion other than mine."

"Well, what are you getting?"

"You'll see."

"Miss Mattel, here you are." I turned and smiled when I saw the black box in the older man's hand. 

"Excuse me, could you let me see it before we go?"

"Of course." Kim and Aja gasped when the man opened the box. Inside was the ring I had made for Katya. It was a sliver and black ring with a red diamond in the middle, surrounded by smaller purple jewels. Aja was the first to speak, as always. 

"Trixie, what is that?" I finished paying for the ring and took the box. I waved bye to the man and walked outside, followed by Kim and Aja. 

"It's a ring Aja."

"Well, no duh. But like for who?"

"Aja, you can look at it and tell who it's for." Kim grabbed the sleeve of my sweater and looked at me. "Trixie?"

"Kim, I don't know when okay? But just in case, I just have a feeling." 

"Just make sure." I nodded and looked down at the box, there was a small smile on my face. I didn't know when the time would come, but I knew it would. Maybe it would be a few weeks from now, or shit maybe in 20 years. All I knew was that, that day would come.


	33. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What would I do without you?"
> 
> "Probably nothing, that is why I'm here. Now, get to painting."

Katya's POV

I sat looking up at the wall I was stuck painting. I had to pick Trixie up in about hour and here I was, sitting on the floor stressing. I told Trixie I was almost done, and that I had the black outline to do which was true at the time. That was before I changed it up a bit though and then changed those changes, and then changed those changes. I was stuck and I couldn't call Trixie to help me right now, which is what I had been doing for the past few months. "Katya?" I turned around to see Dela standing behind me with a cup of coffee in her hand. 

"Oh hey sorry, Dela I was focusing on this trash." Dela sat beside me and looked at the painting after handing me the cup.

"Katya, this isn't trash. It is quite beautiful."

"You have to be blind."

"I am not, maybe you are. Katya, it is amazing and I am sure Trixie will think so too."

"I'm not done with it yet, but I still hate it."

"Well, how about you finish it and then you can hate it."

"You are such a big help Dela."

"Oh, I know. Katya, it will come out great okay? Trixie wouldn't have asked you to paint this if she didn't think you could do it."

"I guess you are right." Dela put her hand on my shoulder and smiled. 

"I am but I gotta get going. Trixie gave me a list of things to do." 

"Alright." Dela kissed my head and disappeared upstairs. I put my head in my hands as I thought. I needed to get this done, there was no questioning it. Trixie believed in me but shit I couldn't same that I did. I really didn't want to let Trixie down, it would rip me apart if I did. Maybe that is why I was pushing for perfection so hard. I laid on the floor, just staring at the ceiling. I was kind of hoping that the chandelier would just fall on me. I was pulled from my thoughts when my phone began to ring in my back pocket. I groaned as I sat up and pulled my phone out. "Hello?"

"Hey baby, it's me."

"Trixie?"

"Well, who else calls you baby?"

"No body."

"Got that right. But anyway I can't use my phone right now so I am calling you on one of the office phones here.  I just wanted to see things are going today?"

"Good babe, Dela just went to get that list of things done."

"I didn't mean around the office baby, I meant with you."

"Oh, well I'm kinda stuck."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know where to go with the mural baby. I just feel like it isn't good enough."

"Why baby?"

"I just don't." I could hear Trixie's footsteps and her speaking with someone. 

"Baby?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna go leave the room, I want you to FaceTime me okay?"

"Uh okay."

"Thank you, I'm going to hang up and call you right back." 

"Okay." Trixie ended the call after saying bye. I set my phone down as I rubbed my forehead. I wondered what Trixie was up to. After about two minutes, my phone became to ring again. I smiled as I answered it and saw my beautiful girlfriend. 

"Hey baby."

"He..wait are you in the bathroom?"

"Yes ma'am. I said that it was a family emergency. Which is true."

"Oh, is it?"

"Yes, now show me the painting."

"What?"

"Show me." 

"Do I have to?"

"Yekaterina, show me."

"I hate when you do that." Trixie smiled as I groaned. After turning the camera for Trixie to see the painting, the only thing I heard from her was a gasp. 

"Baby, that is amazing."

"It is not."

"I think it is. Katya, when I asked you to paint this, I knew you would do an amazing job. I just wish you could see what I see."

"Me too."

"Katya?"

"Hmm?"

"Could you come pick me up?"

"Now?"

"Yes, now."

"But what about your meeting."

"Family emergency, remember?" I chuckled as Trixie winked at me. 

"Okay, but can I ask why?"

"I will tell you when you come get me."

"Okay, I'm going to leave now."

"Okay, good." I stood up after I ended the call. I had no idea what Trixie was planning but then again I never did. 

"So, why'd you want me to pick you up?" I looked at Trixie as we walked inside her office. She wanted to take a nap in the car and well that's what she did. 

"Because I want to sit here with you while you finish."

"You what?!"

"You heard me." Trixie grabbed the blanket that she kept in her office along with a pillow from the sofa. 

"You're crazy."

"Baby, you have self doubt but maybe me being here will make you feel a little better." Trixie put her hand on my shoulder as she sighed. "Listen, I know how it feels to have no one there when you are trying. It sucks ass, so I'm going to be here. I will no matter what you paint, it will look amazing. Even if you give up, I'll still be proud of you because you tried baby." I put my hand on Trixie's as I smiled. 

"What would I do without you?"

"Probably nothing, that is why I'm here. Now, get to painting."

"Yes ma'am." Trixie pulled one of the armchairs out of the corner of the lobby, where I was painting. She always told me those chairs where to keep people comfortable while they were waiting to be seen, but I knew they were for her naps. Trixie sat in the chair and pulled the blanket over her. 

"If I fall asleep and you need me, wake me up okay?"

"Okay babe, thank you."

"Anything for you love." Trixie really was something else, but in all the right ways. She never let me stay down for too long, and when I wanted to stay down she sat right next to me.


	34. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ugh, fuck me. Can't we just leave them on her?"
> 
> "Uh no, I don't think we can do that." Katya leaned her head on me as she whined. "You'll be fine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Christmas day because I'm not skipping a chance to write some holiday fluff for these two queens..sue me*

Trixie's POV

Katya and I woke up early since it was our first Christmas not only knowing each other, but being together. Last week we finally managed to pick a tree. A pink tree. It was the tree I wanted. Katya called me crazy but after a few kisses and pleads, she gave in. Even though it was Christmas, I was barely focused on it, barely in the holiday spirit. It wasn't because I wasn't happy, I was just busy planning the party for next week. Dela and I sent out invitations to almost every person we knew. Katya said it was a bit much for just a painting but I knew it was for more. I was able to get in contact with Katya's mother thanks to Adore. In the time of Katya and I knowing each other, I saw that the love and respect for her mother was unmatched. There were two reasons that I wanted Katya's mother to be at the party. Number one was that I wanted Katya's mother to just see her artwork, and the second reason is because I'd made up my mind to propose to Katya. "Trixie!" 

"I'm upstairs baby." I could hear Katya's footsteps on the stairs and those damn bells that she had in her hair. 

"Trixie, are you going to be in here all day?"

"No, I'm just.."

"Just nothing, stop working and come spend time with me."

"Alright, alright." I put down my pen and walked behind Katya. 

"Trixie, where is your hat?"

"I'm not wearing that thing Katya."

"Why not?"

"Because it's dumb."

"Yeah, so is your pink tree but we got it." Katya smiled as I put on the elf hat she picked out for me. "You look cute." Katya hit the bell on the top of the hat. 

"I hate you."

"No, you don't. Now, come on." Katya took my hand and pulled me downstairs. "We are going to bake."

"I can't bake."

"Well, I can so that means you'll learn."

"Oh no." 

Katya and I tried to bake for a few hours. Key word is tried. After the third batch of cookies, she saw that I just didn't have the baking skill. Katya smiled as she put a cookie in her mouth. "Hmm, okay so you can't bake."

"I tried telling you that babe."

"I thought you were just being stubborn."

"Not this time."

"I guess there is a first time for everything."

"You're such an ass." I sat on the counter as I threw a chocolate chip at Katya, which she caught in her mouth. 

"I am not." 

"You actually are." Katya stood in between my legs and pulled me close to her. 

"Don't be rude."

"I'm not, I'm being honest."

"Well, your honesty hurts." I rolled my eyes as I kissed Katya. 

"Are you ready to open your gifts yet?"

"I thought I was holding my gift."

"You are so corny." I let my head fall on Katya's shoulder. 

"You tell me that everyday."

"Because you are always saying some corny crap."

"Is that a crime?"

"No." 

"Good, now to the living room we go."

"Why?"

"For more Christmas activities." 

"Kill me."

"Nope." Katya pulled me off of the counter and into the living room. "Oh, oh I have something to show you. Close your eyes." Katya pushed me to sit on the sofa. I covered my eyes as I laughed. I could hear Katya's footsteps disappear upstairs. After a few minutes, I heard her come back. "Okay, open your eyes babe." I looked down at Katya and couldn't help but laugh. She had my three cats in her arms, each of them with some Christmas themed costume on. 

"Katya, what is this?"

"They are Christmas cats now."

"They don't look happy about it."

"Oh they aren't. I got so many bite marks and scratches. But don't they look cute?"

"They look very cute."

"Hell yeah." Katya turned her attention to my cats and groaned. "Okay, you little monsters be gone." I sat next to Katya as I smiled. 

"You're cute babe. I'm sorry that my children didn't like their costumes as much as they like their treats."

"It's okay. It was fun to see Mittens try and claw me with those elf shoes on."

"Yeah, and it also be fun watching you try to take them off of her."

"Ugh, fuck me. Can't we just leave them on her?"

"Uh no, I don't think we can do that." Katya leaned her head on me as she whined. "You'll be fine."

"No, no I won't." 

"Drama queen, but hey how did the mural turn out?" Katya refused to let me see the painting after that day I sat with her. So, for the rest of the time that it took her to get it all done, I had to come in the back entrance of the building. I also had to use the office on the top floor instead of my usual one. 

"I think it turned out okay."

"Just okay?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I guess I'll have to see for myself won't I?" 

"Yep, just in six well seven days. Hey, do you have everything for the party?"

"Yes I do. Dela and I sent out the invitations and booked the catering. We also got decorations.

"Baby, don't you think this is a bit overkill?"

"What?" 

"You know the whole party? Just for a painting?"

"Think of it as a new chapter."

"And how is it that?"

"Well, you are showing your artwork off. Artwork that isn't sad, you know? Or think of it as you coming out of your shell and letting go of the past? You tell me all the time that you want to move on and that you want to stop hanging on to the past. Babe, you came out of your comfort zone for this, that is a really big step."

"You make it sound like I saved the world." Katya chuckled as she ran her fingers through Barbie's fur. 

"Katya, everything you do and feel is important to me okay? I know it may seem small but to me it isn't." 

"And you say I'm corny."

"Ugh, shut up." It was rare that Katya didn't doubt herself. I did my best to be there and help her, but sometimes I felt like it wasn't enough.

"Okay, Okay. Hey, how about eggnog and Christmas movies?"

"That sounds nice." Katya stood up and walked into the kitchen. I grabbed the remote and scrolled through the channels, looking for a cheesy Christmas movie. "Hey baby!"

"Yeah?"

"How about the classic story of the business woman who comes back home after being away for so long?"

"Oh, where she finds the Christmas spirit and the love of her life?"

"Who was her childhood best friend? And he shows her that Christmas isn't about the gifts but the people you love."

"Let's do it." Katya sat next to me and handed me a mug of eggnog. I laid in her arms and pulled a fluffy pink blanket over us. 

"Hey babe?"

"Hmm?"

"Merry Christmas." Katya chuckled as she kissed me.

"Merry Christmas baby."


	35. Katya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Yeah, she can be a bit...well?"
> 
> "Moody?"

Katya's POV  
"Kim, Aja I'm sorry that you are always stuck getting me ready." Kim hugged me and smiled. 

"It is okay, we enjoy you and your company babe." 

"Plus, you are much easier to dress and put in makeup than your girlfriend." Aja laughed as she let my hair down.

"Yeah, she can be a bit...well?"

"Moody?"

"I didn't say anything like that." Kim laughed as she playful pushed me. 

"Don't worry Katya, we won't tell." Kim set out all of her products on a stand while Aja did the same. 

"So sis what does the dress look like?"

"Oh, I'll go get it." I walked upstairs into Trixie's room. I opened the closet and pulled out the black dress that Trixie and I picked together. It was a short dress with the straps hanging a little lower. Trixie and I spent hours trying to find the right dress to go nicely with hers. I tried telling her that a yellow and pink floral dress wasn't the easiest to match with. So she decided to wear a pastel pink dress that looked similar to mine. She was wearing white heels tonight and I decided to wear red. I walked back downstairs and held up the dress for Kim and Aja to see. 

"That dress is lovely Katya.

"Did Trixie pick it sis?"

"We both did, why?"

"Because it will show your tits and legs." Aja covered her mouth to hold in her laugh. Kim pushed her as she shook her head. 

"Aja, stop that."

"Alright alright, but one more thing. Try not to fuck in front of everyone."

"Ugh, can we just please get started here so we can leave?"

"Yeah, let's get started." I sat down so Kim could start my makeup and Aja could start on my hair. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about the party. I knew that Trixie would be there for me the whole night, but I was still nervous. I smiled as I played with the necklace around my neck. A tiny black butterfly that Trixie had gotten me about three weeks after we had started dating. When I was having an anxiety attack or something, I played with it. It was stupid but for some reason I felt safe when I touched it, like I had somewhere safe to land when I fell. My mind drifted to the night five months ago, in the downstairs bathroom. The night she gave me the black butterfly.

It was about 4 in the morning, and I couldn't sleep. No matter how hard I tried, it just wasn't working. My brain was going into overdrive and my thoughts felt as if they were attacking me. I could feel an anxiety attack starting because I felt so out of place. So wrong in Trixie's perfect world. I didn't want to let Trixie down. She seemed so excited about everything and I didn't want to ruin it. I had a way of taking the most beautiful things and just breaking it. I didn't want to do that to Trixie, I couldn't do that. She had her life so together. The emotions that I had been ignoring were coming to a boil. I tried to calm my breathing as I moved Trixie's arm and her head off of me. I slipped from under her and rushed out of the bedroom. I ran down the stairs and straight to the bathroom. My knees went weak as I began to cry. What was I doing here? Why was I here? I didn't belong here, so why was I here? My tears began and they just wouldn't stop. My brain was screaming at me, my thoughts were screaming at me and I couldn't do anything to stop it. The emotions I had been feeling almost all my life were just filling my head with pain, with no sign of letting up. I didn't want to ruin Trixie's life like I ruined my mother's and my father's or almost every other person that has known me. The screaming thoughts in my head went silent when I heard a knock at the door and Trixie's soft and tender voice on the other side. "Katya, baby? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, go back to bed."

"Katya, let me in okay?

"Why?"

"Because I know you're not okay."

"How?"

"I can hear it in your voice. Now, please let me in." I signed and unlocked the door. 

"It's open." Trixie opened the door and walked in. Without saying anything, she sat next to me. "What are you doing?"

"Sitting."

"Okay, I see that but why?"

"Well, you said that you were okay when you aren't so that means you don't want me to know right now. Well, probably never and that's okay."

"Oh, well okay."

"Need anything?"

"No." 

"Okay." 

"Well, Trixie?"

"Yeah?"

"C..can I hold your hand?" Trixie softly took my hand and smiled at me. 

"Let me know if you need anything else okay?"

"Uh yeah." 

"How about a song?"

"What?"

"A song, I've been working on that song that I played for you over the phone. I just can't get it out of my head."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I want to actually write a whole song with the lyrics."

"Okay."

"Okay, I'll be right back." Trixie jumped up and walked out of the bathroom. After a few minutes, Trixie appeared with her white guitar. She sat down next to me after closing the door. 

"Why'd you close the door, it's just us here?"

"To make sure it is just you and me in our own little world." Trixie smiled as she tuned her guitar. "My grandfather taught me how to tune guitars. He said you ain't a real musician if you can't tune your own instrument without some app, so here I am." I loved listening to Trixie talk about her grandfather and her passions in life. She wore a small smile on her face even if she didn't notice it. Trixie started to softly play her guitar and after a little bit her angel like voice followed. I took a deep breathe as I closed my eyes. The screaming voice in my head had become barely a whisper as I listened to Trixie.  

"Trixie?"

"Yes babe?"

"Can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure." Trixie sat her guitar done and turned her focus to me. I took a deep breathe as I chuckled awkwardly. 

"I don't feel like I belong here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Here, with you. In your life."

"Why?"

"Because I just feel like I'm going to mess things up."

"What is there to mess up?"

"I don't know Trixie. I have problems, issues and I feel like they will get to be too much for you. It always ends up like that. The panic and anxiety attacks, the doubt, it all ends up as too much for the people I love. I don't want to mess up anything in your life. Or make you feel like you aren't giving me enough."

"Katya, you belong okay? You belong because I want you to. And if you don't feel like you have a place in my life, I'll make one for you. You come before everything now. If you ever need me, I'm here. You don't have to be alone anymore, I won't leave just because you have as you say problems and issues. If anything it will make me want to be there for you more."

"Why?"

"Because you are trying to meet me half way so I will do the same for you. Then, we can meet in the middle." Trixie kissed my hand as she smiled. "Hey, I'll be back okay?"

"Okay." Trixie walked out of the bathroom after kissing my head. I softly ran my fingers over the strings on Trixie's guitar. 

"Katya?"

"Yeah?"

"Close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Just do it." I groaned and closed my eyes. I felt Trixie move my hair as she sat behind me. I could feel something cold on my neck and then I felt Trixie's soft fingers fixing the cold object. "Okay, you can open them." Trixie was holding a mirror up to me. I looked at my reflection and gasped. 

"What is this?"

"A necklace silly."

"But why?"

"It represents a spiritual journey, self-development, growth, destiny and metamorphosis. A change. Butterflies themselves represent new life and new beginnings, a rebirth. They stand for a beautiful outcome that comes after difficult times. They also symbolize the idea that everyone could find beauty and goodness within themselves. It symbolizes the 'death' of something bad or negative, or the end of misfortunes." Trixie smiled as she looked at me. "I saw it and thought of you. Katya, it's okay to let go of the past, just like you told me. You are such a beautiful person, on the inside and out. You can be happy without guilt, you just have to take the first step towards that happiness."

"Have you taken that first step?"

"I think so."

"What was it?"

"Now, that is a secret." Trixie poked my nose as she laughed. I shook my head and wrapped my arms around Trixie.

"Thank you."

"Anytime."

I smiled as I listened to Aja and Kim go back and forth. I ran my fingers over the black butterfly one more time. Maybe Trixie was right, maybe it was time for a change.


	36. Trixie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Helping my daughter."
> 
> "What do you mean?"

Trixie's POV

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." I ran around from room to room, making sure that everything was in place. 

"Trixie, calm your ass down." 

"Willam, hush she is freaking out." My friend Courtney rolled her eyes at Willam as she fixed some of the decorations. 

"Thank you Court." 

"Listen, all I'm saying is that she needs to relax." 

"No, what she needs to do is sit down so I can finish her makeup." I sighed and sat back down. 

"Sorry Pearl. I'm just nervous."

"Oh, we hadn't noticed." 

"Willam, shush. Willam's kind of right though Trixie, you should relax just a little bit."

"That is easier said than done girls." 

"Hey Trixie, do you want me reserve a table for Katya's mother?" Dela looked at a clipboard as she stood in the doorway of my office. I jumped up as Pearl was doing my eyeliner, not really caring about my makeup.

"Fuck, I have to go pick her up from the airport."

"Shit, Trixie. You messed up your liner." Pearl pushed me back down in the chair as she took out a wipe, cleaning the smudged liner. 

"Trixie, Willam and I can go get her while you get your makeup done."

"Oh, Courtney would you?

"Of course. I also think it would save your food from Willam." Courtney pulled a groaning and cursing Willam out of my office as I rubbed my head. Dela looked at me and called Pearl over. They spoke softly for a little bit. I could hear Pearl leave and Dela close the door behind her. 

"What's wrong Trixie?"

"What, why would you think something is wrong?" I walked to the other side of my office, looking out of a window. Dela put her hand on my shoulder as she sighed. 

"Trixie, we've known each other for a while. I know you quite well."

"I'm nervous Dela."

"Why?"

"I'm worried about Katya, she doesn't know what is really happening. What if she freaks out and just leaves?"

"Do you think she would do that?"

"No, well maybe. I don't know Del and that is the problem."

"Sweetie, Katya doesn't seem like she would do that. Maybe you should ask her mother when she gets here."

"Wait what?! I can't do that Dela. It will be my first time meeting her and you want me to ask if her daughter would bail on me? What am I supposed to do, just walk up to her and say 'Hey Katya's mom, I just wanted to ask, do you think your daughter will just leave me?' Thanks but no thanks Dela, I'll pass." 

"Then don't ask Katya." I stared at Dela, as a tiny swelling pain took over my chest.

"I can't do that."

"Why?"

"Because Dela.."

"Because?"

"I love Katya. I love her more than anything. She deserves nothing less than the title of my wife."

"Then don't let your doubt and fear stop you." Dela hugged me softly. "She loves you, you know that. You tell her to not over think and let the demons take over, you need to do the same." I buried my face in Dela's shoulder, enjoying the comfort from my friend.

At 7pm, I was dressed and my face was beat for the gods. I walked around making sure that everything had gotten done and that nothing was got of place. I went through three checklists. Was it overkill? Maybe. Did I care? No. My running around was stopped when Willam and Courtney arrived. I made my way over to Courtney, nervous and shaky. "Hey, did you pick her up?"

"Yes, she is over there." Courtney pointed to the other side of the room. I looked over to see a small woman. She was looking at some of decorations that were placed on the tables. 

"What is she like?"

"She's lovely, doesn't talk much though." Willam rolled her eyes at Courtney and laughed. 

"Courtney, that's only because you talk too much."

"Don't start that up you two. I'm going to talk to her, you two behave alright?" I fixed my dress as I took a deep breathe, taking slow steps to the other side. I tapped on the older woman's shoulder. "Ms. Zamolodchikova?"

"Yes?" 

"I am Trixie Mattel, um I'm Katya's.."

"Girlfriend." Katya's mother wore a smile on her face as she pulled me into a hug. 

"Oh. You knew already?"

"Yes dear. Katya has told me about you."

"Oh, you two are talking again?"

"Yes, she called me out of the blue a few months ago and well ever since she calls me at least four times a day. She talks about you two times out of those four, sometimes three." 

"That is great."

"You can relax okay? I wanted to say thank you."

"For what?"

"Helping my daughter."

"What do you mean?"

"Could we go outside? I enjoy the fresh air." 

"Sure." Katya's mother and I walked outside, the cool air blowing our dresses. 

"Katya isn't the best at letting go. Of the past I mean, the mistakes that she have made. Katya blames herself for everything, all the fights that her father and I had. She blames herself mostly for her father's death though. I came here not only to see Katya's beautiful work, but also because I want her to know that the bad things that happen in our lives wasn't because of her. My late husband had a problem way before Katya was even born. He lost his job because of it but Katya was young and I didn't want her to know any of that, but.."

"But?"

"I wish I would have told her the truth. Maybe, just maybe she wouldn't have held onto this pain as long as she has." Katya's mom turned to face me with a teary smile. "Trixie, please continue to make my daughter happy. She speaks so well of you, so I know you are doing everything right in her eyes. And that is all that matters." I hugged Katya's mother as I held back tears of my own. 

"I asked you here because I wanted your blessing."

"My blessing?"

"Yes, um I want to propose to Katya."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am. I have never been more sure of anything. I love her Ms. Zamolodchikova."

"Please call me Pat." I nodded my head and stood a bit confused when Pat chuckled. "Trixie, I don't think Katya could find anyone better."

"Wait, why do you say that?"

"Because we have been talking for a while now and well your voice had a slight shake to it, even when you called me to invite me. But when you just gave me your answer, it was strong and filled with passion." Pat smiled as she put her hand on my shoulder. "You have my blessing."


	37. Trixie(end)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Well, it was you Katya."
> 
> "Really?"

Trixie's POV

"Trixie! Katya is here dear." 

"Thanks Dela." I took one more deep breathe as I grabbed my guitar. I walked out of my office and smiled when I saw Katya. She looked beautiful, which was always but it was different tonight. "Hey baby."

"Hey. You look amazing."

"I was going to say the same exact thing to you." 

"You're welcome sis." Aja stood proudly with her arms crossed. 

"Shut up Aja." Kim rolled her eyes as she looked at Aja. 

"Anyway, are you excited babe?"

"More nervous than anything but yeah I guess." I took Katya's hand in mine as I kissed her. 

"You will be okay, I'll be right here okay?" Katya chuckled as her eyes focused on my guitar

"Why do you have your guitar?"

"I finished the song so I thought I'd perform it."

"Wait, you're actually gonna perform in front of all these people?"

"Well, I thought since you are taking such a big step, I could meet you half way." Katya wrapped her arms around me without warning. I could feel her heartbeat as I held her. That heartbeat I fell in love more each night that we slept together, each day we spent together. I knew it well now. I pulled back a little and smiled. "Let's go show everyone shall we?"

"Okay." 

"Good." I took Katya's hand and walked over to the covered mural. I turned on the microphone that we had set up. "Hello, may I have everyone's attention?" All of the guests turned around to face Katya and I. Katya gripped my hand a little tighter as she smiled. "As most of you know this company was owned by my grandfather, then it was given to me. I kept it the same for so long, because I thought change was disrespecting his memory. But Katya, the lovely woman here, showed me that I couldn't have been more wrong. So, I decided to ask her to paint a mural here on this empty wall. And that is why we are here, not only to fully welcome Katya but to let know her know that she is fully apart of the Mattel family." Applause filled the room and I could feel Katya's grip loosen a bit. "Babe, would you like to do the honors?" Katya nodded her head and pulled away the huge cloth that was covering the wall. I took my first look at the final product and smiled. Katya had painted all of us, every person that she had met here. Bob, Farrah, Alyssa, Dela and myself. But in the middle was myself and my grandfather. He was giving me a white guitar while my friends surrounded us. I could feel tears swelling in my eyes. "Katya...I love it."

"I hope you do, it took me freaking forever."

"You did amazing." I hugged Trixie as applause ran through the building. I could feel my tears falling but I didn't care. Katya had did better, way better than I thought and I was so proud of her. Dela tapped on my shoulder as she smiled. 

"Are you ready to perform Trixie?"

"Now?"

"We have a set schedule."

"Alright alright." I kissed Katya and sighed. "I better get up there."

"Okay babe. I'll stand in front."

"Actually, could you sit at that table right there?" I pointed to a table in the front.

"Sure." Katya kissed my cheek and walked to the table as I walked on stage. I grabbed my guitar and blew a kiss at Katya. Dela turned on the microphone as she cleared her throat. 

"Everyone, could I have your attention?" Dela smiled as everyone grew quiet. "Thank you. Okay, most of you know that we always have someone to perform here at our parties. Last time it was Adore and the time before it was Shea. Well, this time Trixie, herself will be performing." Dela walked away from the mic as she clapped along with everyone else. 

"I haven't performed for anyone since I was 15 and that was at my cousin's birthday party. Um, this is a song I wrote for my beautiful girlfriend, Katya. So, I hope you enjoy." I stepped back a little as I played the opening to the song I had spent so much time working on. I slowed it down a little but it was the same song I sang for Katya, the same song I had replayed over and over again in my head. I set my focus on Katya as I sang, my eyes never leaving hers. She had tears in her eyes to match mine. I was happy that most of the people here were too busy dancing with their partner to pay us any attention. As I played I thought, thought of Katya and myself. I thought of the late nights we had. The nights that were filled with baking and board games that Katya could never win at. I thought of the day I broke down on my office floor and how Katya held me. I thought of when she broke down in that locked room and how I held her. Our relationship was about us loving each other and holding one another up. It was perfect for me and I could only hope it was perfect for her. 

After I finished playing, I made my way to Katya. I was met with a hug and a shower of kisses. We enjoyed each other's company and I could feel all of my worry fade. After a hour, the party moved to the roof where we had Adore's welcome party. Dela and I had everything already prepared, we knew that the roof was the best place for the real party. "Katya?"

"Hmm?"

"I have a surprise for you."

"Okay." 

"I'll be right back, close your eyes."

"Oh gosh." I walked off as Katya closed her eyes. 

"Ms. Pat?"

"Yes dear?"

"Are you ready to see Katya?"

"I have been ready ever since you called me."

"Good." I took Ms. Pat's hand and walked her back to the table Katya and I were sitting at. "Babe."

"Can I open my eyes now?" 

"Sure." Katya opened her eyes and looked at me. 

"Where's my surprise?"

"Katya, dear?" Katya froze for a moment before turning around. She stood up and walked slowly to her mother. Pat opened her arms for Katya, tears spilling from her eyes. Katya ran into her mother's arms. They hugged for a while before Katya pulled back.

"Mom, what are you doing here?"

"Your girlfriend over there invited me." Katya smiled at me as she pulled me to her. 

"Thank you Trixie." 

"Anything for you. Could I steal you for a little bit more before your mother takes you away from me for the rest of the night?"

"Oh, sure." I held Katya's hand and walked away from everyone else. 

"You know I love you, right?"

"Yeah, I know. You're really good at showing it." 

"I'm glad I am baby. Katya?"

"Hmm?"

"Would you want to spend the rest of your life with me?"

"Can I be honest?"

"Yes.

"I would like to. I've thought about it and I don't think anyone else would make me happy like you do."

"I'm glad you said that.

"Why?" Katya chuckled as she looked at me. I took a deep breathe as I pulled the ring out of my sweater pocket.

"Because I was thinking the same thing." 

"Trixie, what are you?" I smiled as I got on one knee in front of Katya. "Trix.."

"This is hard in a dress but I'm committed." I smiled as I took Katya's hand in mine. "Katya Zamolodchikova, I love you and you are the best thing that has happen to me in a very long time, well maybe ever. I never thought I could be as happy as you've made me and well I want to spend the rest of my life with you." 

"Trix, babe what are you saying?"

"I'm saying I want you to marry me baby. Will you marry me?" 

"Are you serious?"

"I think I am baby." I opened the ring box and smiled as Katya gasped. 

"It is beautiful, but are you sure you want to marry me?"

"Katya, I wouldn't have bought this ring months ago and I sure as hell wouldn't have asked your mother.".

"You asked my mother?"

"Yes." Katya wiped away a tear as she nodded her head. "Is that a yes?"

"Yes." I put the ring on Katya's finger and stood up, wrapping my arms around her. 

"I love you."

"I love you too Trixie." I kissed Katya softly as I held her close. I pulled away when I heard sniffles and clapping. Katya and I turned to see our friends crying. Bianca and Adore were holding each other, Willam and Courtney were crying on each other along with Aja and Kim. And Dela was clapping as she held a box of tissues. Everyone crowded us, giving us hugs and congratulations. 

Katya and I had settled down in the lobby, eating cake after everyone left. Katya had been staring at her ring on and off for the past three hours. "Baby, it isn't going to jump off of your finger or anything."

"Shut up. I just.. I can't believe it."

"Why not?"

"Miss pretty princess here got on one knee and asked me to marry her."

"Yeah, my dress got all dirty but it was fully worth it." I laced my fingers with Katya as I smiled. "You are worth it, I hope you know that baby."

"I'm learning that slowly, day by day. And it is all because of you showing me. You fucking had me crying because of a song. There must be magic in your song." I shook my head as Katya and I laughed. "Hey Trixie?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask what your first step to happiness was now?"

"Want the honest answer?"

"Duh."

"Well, it was you Katya."

"Really?"

"Yes ma'am." Katya smiled and kissed me, as we sat on the floor. Just us. I enjoyed the times we spent together like this. Just me and her, away from the rest of the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of this story. I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it. ❤


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